Today In Rock History
August 1
1942: In response to what it sees as a threat from the new fad, phonograph records, the American Federation of Musicians goes on strike (but only for recording, not live, gigs).
1954: A concert promoted by Alan Freed features Fats Domino, Muddy Waters, The Clovers, The Orioles and others at the 'Moondog Jubilee of Stars Under the Stars' at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York.
1956: RCA released two of Elvis Presley's hit singles: 'Blue Suede Shoes' and 'Love Me Tender.'
1958: His contract up at Sun Records, Johnny Cash leaves Memphis, moves to Los Angeles and signs with Columbia Records.
1958: Era Records releases 'To Know Him Is To Love Him' by The Teddy Bears on their Dore label and sends 500 copies to radio stations across the U.S. The song was written by group member Phil Spector, who was inspired by the words on his father's tombstone. Spector's father had committed suicide when Phil was 12.
1960: The East German 'youth' oriented Young World says Elvis Presley is Public Enemy #1.
1960: Billboard reports the findings of a Seventeen magazine survey that said the average teenage girl listens to the radio two hours and thirteen minutes a day and plays records two hours and twelve minutes a day.
1960: Chubby Checker's 'The Twist' is released in the U.S., where it will become the #1 song by mid-September. Record industry history was made when Checker's original hit recording re-entered the charts in the Fall of 1961 and by January of 1962, was back in the #1 position. It was the first record ever to hit #1 on two separate occasions.
1963: The first Beatles Monthly Fan Club Magazine was published. It continued until 1969 and at its peak was selling 350,000 copies a month.
1963: The Beach Boys played the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa.
1964: The title track from The Beatles' movie 'A Hard Day's Night' topped the record charts on both sides of the Atlantic. The film was originally titled 'Beatlemania,' until producers heard an offhanded comment by Ringo Starr as he flopped into a canvas chair and said "It's been a hard day's night, that was."
1964: Jan & Dean's 'Little Old Lady From Pasadena' peaks at #3. Although they would place five more songs in the US Top 40, this would be their final Top 10 entry.
1964: Rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette died in a boating accident while fishing at Clear Lake, California. He was 30 years old. Burnette is most often remembered for his two, 1960 million-sellers, 'Dreamin' and 'You're Sixteen.'
1964: Billboard Magazine reported that the harmonica was making a comeback in a big way thanks to its use by Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles and Bob Dylan.
1965: The Rolling Stones played the London Palladium for the first time, supported by The Walker Brothers, The Moody Blues and a group called Steam Packet, which featured a young Rod Stewart.
1966: The Troggs accomplished the rare feat of having a Top 10 hit in both the UK and the U.S. with different songs. In England, 'With a Girl Like You' was a major hit, while in the U.S., 'Wild Thing' led the Billboard chart.
1967: The Who performed at the Mississippi State Coliseum in Jackson, Mississippi.
1968: During a North American tour The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at City Park Stadium in New Orleans.
1968: Ronnie Spector files for divorce from her husband Phil after just three and a half months of marriage. In her complaint, she estimates Phil's net worth as 5 million dollars and her own as "nothing." Oddly, she didn't move out of their Beverly Hills mansion and a few weeks later Phil talked her into a reconciliation.
1969: Led Zeppelin, supported by Jethro Tull and Family of Man appeared at the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, California.
1969: Pink Floyd appeared at the Van Dike Club in Plymouth, England.
1969: Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys is indicted in Los Angeles for failing to perform his required community service hours, which were imposed upon him after he refused to be drafted as a conscientious objector. Rather than the janitorial duty he was sentenced to at LA County Hospital, Wilson taught music classes there instead.
1969: The first Atlantic City Pop Festival kicked off. It featured performers like BB King, Janis Joplin, Santana, Three Dog Night, Dr John, Procol Harum, Arthur Brown, Iron Butterfly, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Little Richard, Tim Buckley, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, The Mothers Of Invention and Canned Heat. Joni Mitchell, started to cry and ran off stage in the middle of her third song because the crowd was not paying attention to her performance. Janis Joplin and Mama Cass introduce Santana as their favorite band.
1969: Jethro Tull's 2nd album, 'Stand Up' is released in the UK. It was followed with a U.S. release in September, where it peaked at #20 on the Biillboard charts.
1970: In London, 'Performance,' which starred Mick Jagger, finally premiered. The completed film had been on the shelf for two years, allegedly due to director David Cammell’s refusal to re-edit the controversial portrait of rock decadence. Film critic John Simon said, “You don’t have to be a drug addict, pederast, sado-masochist or nitwit to enjoy it, but being one or more of these things would help.”
1970: Chicago's '25 Or 6 To 4' enters the Billboard Hot 100 where it will climb to #4. Many fans are confused about the song's meaning until it is explained that the tune was being written at 25 or 6 to four in the morning.
1971: George Harrison held his first Concert for Bangladesh at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The event was the first-ever benefit concert of it’s kind. The shows were organized to fund relief efforts for refugees fleeing war-related genocide during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The concert featured Harrison, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Eric Clapton, Ravi Shankar and members from Badfinger. Harrison had to shell out his own money to maintain the fund after legal problems froze all proceeds. The triple album release (the second in a row by Harrison), hit #1 in the UK and #2 in the US and received the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
1971: Members of The Who attend the Bangladesh charity concert with George Harrison and friends at Madison Square Garden, and jam with them at the post-concert party held at Ungano’s.
1971: The 'Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' started on prime time American TV. By this time, Sonny and Cher had stopped producing hit singles so the duo decided to sing and tell jokes in nightclubs across the country. CBS head of programming Fred Silverman saw them one evening and offered them their own show.
1971: Yes keyboardist Tony Kaye left the band to form Badger. Yes brings in Rick Wakeman.
1972: Chicago's 'Chicago V' LP is certified gold
1972: A year after Tony Kaye jumped ship, drummer Bill Bruford left Yes to join King Crimson.
1973: 'American Graffiti' premiered in Los Angeles and became something of a surprise hit. The film, centered on a group of teenagers growing up on the West coast of the U.S. in the 1960's, cost just over $700,000 to make, but has garnered an estimated return of well over $200 million in box office receipts and home video sales. The soundtrack album reached #10 in America and has been certified triple Platinum. It made stars out of Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips and more, and also inspired the ABC-TV smash 'Happy Days.'
1973: The Grateful Dead celebrated Jerry Garcia’s birthday with a concert at Roosevelt Stadium. A nude woman popped out of a giant cake onstage.
1974: At Atlanta’s Omni, Eric Clapton welcomed guests Keith Moon and Pete Townshend to play on 'Layla,' Baby Don’t You Do It' and 'Little Queenie.' After the show, Keith’s new girlfriend Annette Walter-Lax witnesses her first hotel room destruction as Keith remodels a room at the Omni Hotel.
1975: Hawkwind appeared at Town Hall in Torquay, England.
1976: The Who fly to Washington, DC, and check into the Watergate Hotel for the beginning of their four-date Whirlwind Tour.
1976: ZZ Top played at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado.
1977: Yes performed at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia.
1977: 'Elvis: What Happened?' a tell-all book written by his closest confidantes Red West, his brother Red West and Dave Hebler, hit the bookshelves and made no impact until Presley's death two weeks later, when it confirmed what many had suspected: that Elvis had been abusing prescription drugs. Some say the revelatory book hurt Elvis and indirectly hastened his demise.
1977: The Pretenders Chrissie Hynde faces deportation and offers Sid Vicious two quid (about $3) to marry her. Thoughts of the wedding night probably cause Hynde to look elsewhere to solve her residency status.
1978: Jimmy Buffett appeared at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
1978: Aerosmith with special guests AC/DC played the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, South Dakota.
1978: Dhani Harrison is born to George Harrison and his soon-to-be-wife Olivia. Dhani, who like his dad becomes a musician, would be the couple's only child.
1979: During a concert at Madison Square Garden, Peter Frampton was awarded the Gold Ticket for performing to over 100,000 fans at the Garden.
1980: George Harrison forms a movie production company called Handmade Films, which would go on to produce films like 'Monty Python's Life of Brian,' 'The Long Good Friday,' 'Time Bandits,' and 'Shanghai Surprise.'
1980: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Henry J. Kaiser Auditorium in Oakland, California.
1980: Def Leppard made their U.S. live debut when they appeared at the Palladium in New York City opening for AC/DC. It was also Def Leppard singer Joe Elliott's 21st birthday.
1981: MTV went on the air in 2.1-million American homes at 12:01 am. It begins airing music videos with the legendary opening, “Ladies and Gentlemen, Rock & Roll.” It’s followed by the now familiar power-chord-fueled guitar riff theme. The first ten videos are: The Buggles 'Video Killed The Radio Star,' Pat Benatar 'You Better Run,' Rod Stewart 'She Won’t Dance With Me' (Stewart was the artist with the most videos played that day.), The Who 'You Better You Bet' (It was both the 4th and 54th video to be aired on MTV’s launch day, making it the first video to be shown more thanonce.), Ph.D. 'Little Suzi’s On The Up,' Cliff Richard 'We Don’t Talk Anymore,' The Pretenders 'Brass In Pocket,' Todd Rundgren 'Time Heals,' REO Speedwagon 'Take It On The Run' (REO Speedwagon tied with Rod Stewart as the artists with the most videos played that day.) and Styx 'Rockin’ The Paradise.' J.J. Jackson, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn and Alan Hunter are the original VJs.
1981: Australian singer Rick Springfield started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'Jessie's Girl,' which later won the singer a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance. The song was at #1 when MTV launched on August 1, 1981. Rick had played Noah Drake in the TV show 'General Hospital.'
1981: Heavy Metal Holocaust took place at Port Vale Football Stadium in Stoke on Trent, England. The lineup included Motorhead, Ozzy Osbourne, Triumph, Riot, Frank Marino & Mohagany Rush and Vardis. Originally Black Sabbath were supposed to co-headline with Motorhead, but pulled out in early July due to "recording commitments" and were replaced by the Ozzy Osbourne Band.
1982: Aerosmith released their 7th studio album, 'Rock in a Hard Place.' It was the only Aerosmith album not to feature lead guitarist Joe Perry. The album reached #32 on the Billboard chart.
1983: The soft-rock group, America had its last Top 40 hit when 'The Border' reached #33.
1985: Starship released their single 'We Built This City.' The city, incidentally, was built on rock and roll.
1986: Three weeks after he had fallen into a diabetic coma, Jerry Garcia was released from hospital.
1986: Megadeth and King Diamond play the Metro in Chicago, Illinois.
1987: The Grateful Dead's 12th studio LP 'In The Dark' enters the Billboard album chart where it would climb to #6. It would achieve Double Platinum certification in the US with the help of the group's only American Top 40 hit, 'Touch Of Grey,' which would reach #9.
1987: Guns N' Roses head to 6th Street and 450 South La Brea in Hollywood and shoot their first video, for 'Welcome To The Jungle.'
1987: Bob Seger’s song 'Shakedown,' from the 'Beverly Hills Cop II' soundtrack, went to #1. It was the Detroit rocker’s first-ever chart-topping single. The tune was originally supposed to be recorded by Glenn Frey, who had contracted laryngitis. The song would be nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, but lost both to 'Dirty Dancing's '(I've Had) The Time of My Life.'
1987: MTV Europe was launched, the first video played being 'Money For Nothing' by Dire Straits which contained the appropriate line "I Want My MTV."
1987: Los Lobos' rendition of 'La Bamba' becomes the first Spanish language recording to top the UK chart. It also hit #1 in the US. Ritchie Valens' 1959 version reached #49.
1987: Bon Jovi kicked off a three night run at Madison Square Garden on their 'Slippery When Wet Tour!' The band ended the sold-out show with a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's 'Travelin' Band.'
1987: Heart peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with 'Bad Animals' which spent three weeks at #2.
1988: Cincinnati AM radio station WCVG changes its format, becoming the first U.S. all-Elvis radio station. The concept died out within the year.
1988: Soundgarden released their 2nd EP, 'Fopp.'
1988: Mudhoney's first-ever single is released: 'Touch Me I'm Sick' b/w 'Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More,' via Sub Pop Records
1988: Iron Maiden released their 17th single, 'The Evil That Men Do.'
1988: 'The Last Temptation Of Christ' opens in theaters. David Bowie plays Pontius Pilate, with Peter Gabriel handling the soundtrack.
1990: UB40 were deported from the Seychelles after police discovered marijuana in their hotel rooms.
1992: Pearl Jam released their video for 'Jeremy.' The iconic clip helped propel the band to fame, but also proved controversial for its depiction of a troubled teen taking his own life in front of his classmates.
1994: When President Bill Clinton invited The Rolling Stones to play the White House, they refused. Instead, they kicked off their 'Voodoo Lounge' tour at Washington, D.C.’s RFK Stadium. They would go on to play his 60th birthday party in 2006. This tour would last over a year and go on to gross $320 million, becoming the highest grossing tour at the time.
1994: Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley announce their marriage in the Dominican Republic 11 weeks earlier.
1996: MTV launches MTV2.
2000: AC/DC kicked off their 140 date 'Stiff Upper World Lip Tour' at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
2001: The Who CD 'Quadrophenia 1996' is released in Japan featuring fourteen groups covering Who songs related to 'Quadrophenia.'
2005: It's announced that former Soil singer Ryan McCombs has joined Drowning Pool, replacing Jason 'Gong' Jones, who quit the band in June.
2006: 30-year-old Andy Richardson dies after he is beaten in the mosh pit during The Deftones set at the 'Family Values' tour in Atlanta.
2006: Stone Sour, with Slipknot's Corey Taylor and Jim Root, release their 2nd album, 'Come What(ever) May.'
2006: Paul McCartney files for divorce from his second wife, Heather Mills. He claims her behavior is "unreasonable and argumentative." However, the couple says they plan an amicable divorce. Less than a week later, McCartney changes all the locks on their house.
2007: AC/DC's back catalog is available for purchase digitally through Verizon Wireless who secure an exclusive deal to sell the band's material. The albums are sold only in their entirety, except for the 1980 hit 'You Shook Me All Night Long,' which is available as a single track.
2007: John Lennon's "granny" sunglasses were snapped up by a British collector at auction. The sunglasses, from one of the last Beatles concerts, were expected to fetch around £1m, but auction bosses refused to say what the actual figure was. Lennon gave the gold-rimmed glasses to his Japanese interpreter in Tokyo in 1966, and the translator removed the lenses when Lennon died.
2007: Prince kicked off a series of 21 sold out UK shows at London’s O2 arena. Tickets for the events cost £31.21 – the same figure used by the singer to name his album, website and perfume. After completing the 21 nights the Jehovah’s Witness was planning to take time out to study the Bible.
2007: The Police played the first of two sold out nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City on their Reunion Tour.
2008: A half-hour Beatles recording that included the band cracking jokes and breaking into giggles while they rehearsed material in 1964 went up for auction by the Berkshire-based firm, Cameo. The tape sold for $19,600.
2008: Lollapalooza gets underway in Chicago. More than 100 bands hit the stages over three days. Radiohead is the first to sell out their show. The three-day event also features Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against The Machine and The Raconteurs.
2008: Eddie Vedder's solo tour starts with a pair of Boston shows.
2008: An exhibition of Led Zeppelin memorabilia opens at Knebworth House, the historic home in Hertfordshire, England, that hosted the final U.K. gig by the band's original lineup. Proceeds go toward the Action For Brazil's Children Trust, a charity supported by guitarist Jimmy Page.
2008: 'Dead Symphony No. 6,' an orchestral piece inspired by the Grateful Dead's music, gets a world premiere performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. The work was composed by Lee Johnson.
2009: Film producer Tony Klinger's book 'The Twilight of the Gods: My Adventures With The Who' is in bookstores. The work focuses on the band during drummer Keith Moon's final months and details Klinger's experiences while working on the band's 1979 documentary, 'The Kids Are Alright.'
2009: Daughtry went to #1 on the U.S. album charts with ‘Leave This Town’, the bands 2nd studio album.
2011: Kings Of Leon cancel the remainder of their summer tour in the wake of an awful show in Dallas three days earlier. That concert was cut short after lead singer Caleb Followill left the stage to vomit. A band representative claimed Followill was "suffering from vocal issues and exhaustion," and the band has opted to scrap the tour rather than play subpar gigs. However, bassist Jared Followill writes on Twitter, "there are internal sicknesses & problems" and "there are problems in our band bigger than not drinking enough Gatorade."
2012: J. Geils sues the J. Geils Band. The group's namesake contends that his bandmates "planned and conspired" to exclude him from an upcoming tour. "These guys (Peter Wolf, Seth Justman, Danny Klein and Richard 'Magic Dick' Salwitz) performed in Mr. Geils's band, but that doesn't give them the right to grab the name," states Geils' attorney.
2013: The Rolling Stones charted their 50th LP on the Billboard 200 albums chart when 'Hyde Park Live' debuted at #19.
2013: John Lennon and Paul McCartney top MusicRadar's poll of the greatest songsmiths of all time. Bob Dylan is #2 on the list, while Queen, Neil Young and Kurt Cobain round out the top 5.
2013: Canada’s Brighton Rock releases their 'Creatures Of The Night' Video taken from the 'A World With Heroes KISS' tribute CD that DJ/Music Journalist Mitch Lafon put together. The album raised $35000 for a palliative care home near Montreal.
2014: A lawsuit filed against Daniel Baldi, the doctor who prescribed drugs to the late Paul Gray, is dismissed. A judge rules that Brenna Gray, the Slipknot bassist's widow, waited too long and the statute of limitations had passed on her chance to file suit. In an earlier proceeding, Baldi's legal team successfully argued that at the time of Gray's death no drugs which Baldi had prescribed were found in his system.
2014: Neil Young announces via his website that he is boycotting non-organic cotton and urges his fans to do the same. "Today, I have taken the steps to remove sales of non-organic t-shirts and other products that damage the Earth from my concerts and my web stores," Young writes.
2014: 'Get On Up,' a James Brown biopic produced by Mick Jagger, is in theaters.
2014: The movie 'Guardians of the Galaxy' opens in America, reviving '70s favorites like 'Hooked On A Feeling' and 'Come And Get Your Love.'
2015: Rush perform the final show of their 40th anniversary 'R40 Live' tour at The Forum in L.A. The show presents material from throughout their career.
2016: Prior to a concert in Charlotte, Slipknot partners with Equality NC, an organization working to secure equal rights and justice for LGBTQ North Carolinians following the passage of the so-called “bathroom bill.” "We believe that regardless of who you are, or what you believe in this country — and in our own Metal community — that everyone should be given access to equal opportunities they need to succeed,” writes the band in a statement on their social media outlets.
2017: Sons Of Apollo make their debut performance at at the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood. The group includes former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, ex-Guns N’ Roses guitarist Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal and Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian.
2017: Goldy McJohn (John Raymond Goadsby), organist and a founding member of Steppenwolf ('Born To Be Wild' and 'Magic Carpet Ride') dies of a heart attack at age 72.

August 2
1956: This month's issue of Look magazine reports that Elvis Presley records have grossed over $6 million and he's now receiving 3,000 fan letters a week.
1957: The official Elvis Presley Fan Club was launched in the UK. The Club still exists today at www.ElvisPresleyFanClub.co.uk
1957: Touring with Clyde McPhatter, The Cadillacs, Edna McGriff, Otis Rush, Lee Andrews & The Hearts, Oscar & Oscar, The G-Clefs, Buddy Holly and the crickets appeared at the Howard Theater, Washington, DC. With 'That’ll Be The Day' sitting at #2 on the US charts, this was Buddy's first major tour.
1958: Buddy Holly's version of 'Rave On' peaks at #5 on the UK chart. The record, which lasts only 1:47, is one of Holly's last hits during his lifetime.
1961: The Beatles begin what would be a two-year stint as headliners at Liverpool's Cavern Club.They give approximately 300 performances before hitting the big-time.
1962: Robert Allen Zimmerman legally became Bob Dylan, having signed a music publishing deal with Witmark Music on July 12 of this year, engineered by Albert Grossman.
1963: In the first of many moves from band to band, Eric Clapton quit The Roosters to form Casey Jones and the Engineers.
1964: The Beatles appeared at the Gaumont Cinema in Bournemouth. One of the supporting acts, billed as a 'new and unknown London group,' was The Kinks.
1966: The Who go on vacation for two weeks. Keith, his wife Kim, John and his girlfriend Allison travel to Torremolinos in Spain. Newborn Mandy Moon is left behind with Keith’s parents. Pete travels to Israel. Roger stays in London, spending three days redecorating his apartment and the rest of the time fishing.
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience played the first of five nights at the Salvation Club in New York City.
1968: During their second ever North American tour, Pink Floyd plays the first of three nights at San Francisco’s Avalon Ballroom. Supporting acts were Chrome Syrcus and The Holy Modal Rounders.
1968: The Doors started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'Hello I Love You,' the group's 2nd U.S. #1. The Doors scored 8 top 40 U.S. hits from 1967-71.
1969: Bob Dylan attended his high school reunion in Hibbing, Minnesota. They flew into Hibbing Airport, and were then driven into town, where the other graduates of 1959 were gathered at the Moose Lodge. According to the UK paper The Telegraph, one attended stated, “My memory of that is of Bob standing in one corner and of people going up and shaking his hand. I didn’t like that….I would have been happier if he had just been able to sit down and be one of our classmates.” He and his wife left after a drunk tried to pick a fight. The very same day, his track 'Lay Lady Lay' entered the Top 40.
1969: At Abbey Road, Paul McCartney produced Badfinger’s 'Come and Get It,' which peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
1969: Led Zeppelin and Vanilla Fudge performed at Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Civic Auditorium. Tickets cost from $3 – 5.
1970: Elvis Presley was at #1 on the UK singles chart with his version of 'The Wonder Of You' his 16th #1. Ray Peterson recorded the original version in 1959 which gave him a Top 30 hit.
1971: Now down to a trio and riven by infighting, Creedence Clearwater Revival embark on their last U.S. tour with a gig at Tulsa, Oklahoma's Assembly Center.
1971: Frank Zappa/The Mothers release the live album 'Fillmore East – June 1971.'
1971: 'Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey' was issued as a single in the U.S., was the 2nd single released from Paul & Linda McCartney’s 1971 album 'Ram.' It reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1971, making it the first of a string of post-Beatles, Paul McCartney-penned singles to top the US pop chart through the 1970s and 1980s. Paul McCartney won the Grammy Award for Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists in 1971 for the song. The single was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies.
1972: Brian Cole, an original member of The Association, died of a heroin overdose at the age of 28. He played bass on the hits 'Windy,' 'Cherish' and 'Never My Love.'
1973: Bachman Turner Overdrive signed with Mercury Records.
1973: The Mamas and the Papas filed a lawsuit against their record label Dunhill for over a million dollars in unpaid royalties.
1974: Guitarist Jeff Baxter and drummer Jim Hodder leave Steely Dan, whereupon Becker and Fagen decide to keep the band studio-bound for the remainder of their career.
1974: Pete Townshend joins Eric Clapton onstage at the Greensboro, North Carolina Coliseum for 'Willie And The Hand Jive' and 'Get Ready.' Keith joins them for 'Layla,' 'Badge' and 'Little Queenie.'
1974: John and Michelle Phillips, Lou Adler, and Sonny Bono attend Mama Cass’ cremation.
1974: Santana with special guest Bad Company play Robertson Gym on the University of Santa Barbara campus in Santa Barbara, CA.
1975: The Eagles went to #1 on the US singles chart with 'One Of These Nights,' the group's second US #1 single and the first to chart in the UK where it peaked at #23
1975: Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Saturday Night Special' peaks at #27.
1976: Pink Floyd’s road manager Peter “Puddy” Watts died of a heroin overdose. On the seminal album 'The Dark Side of The Moon,' Watts supplied the crazed laughter on the song 'Brain Damage.' He is also the father of actress Naomi Watts.
1976: KISS with special guess Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band play the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, IN.
1977: The Who bought Shepperton film studios in London for $500,000.
1977: Sex Pistol, Sid Vicious was fined £125 by a London court after he had been found carrying a knife at the 100 Club Punk Festival last September.
1978: Boston release their 2nd album, 'Don't Look Back.' It reached #1 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's & Tapes chart, and featured the title track, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1980: The Clash released their single 'Bank Robber' after it been available as an import only. The band's record company CBS didn't want to release the record saying it was not commercial enough.
1980: 'Deepest Purple,' a collection of their greatest hits up to that time, becomes Deep Purple's third #1 album.
1981: The 2nd Day On The Green concert of the summer, promoted by Bill Graham took place at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. The show featured REO Speedwagon, Kansas, UFO, 38 Special and Gamma.
1986: Chicago's former bassist Peter Cetera reached the top of the Billboard Pop chart with his first solo single, 'Glory Of Love.' The song was featured in the film 'The Karate Kid II.'
1986: Vinnie Vincent Invasion release their self-titled debut album. Rolling Stone listed it 39th on their 2015 list of Greatest Hair Metal albums of all time. In the book 'Fargo Rock City,' journalist Chuck Klosterman names it the second greatest heavy metal album of the 1980s, behind only Appetite For Destruction by Guns N' Roses.
1986: Cinderella release their debut album, 'Night Songs.' It includes Boz Scaggs' drummer Jody Cortez. Fred Coury would join later‬. The album peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart.
1986: Poison's debut, 'Look What The Cat Dragged In,' debuts on the album chart where it eventually rises to #3, selling 3-million copies in the process. The group also begins a tour with Cinderella.
1986: Genesis peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with 'Invisible Touch' which went on to sell six million copies which was their highest selling album in the U.S.
1987: Midnight Oil's 6th studio album, 'Diesel and Dust' is released. It reached #21 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, #19 on the UK Albums chart, and #1 (for 6 weeks) on their native Australian Top Albums chart. It features the hit, 'Beds Are Burning,' which reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1987: Billy Joel played a show in the Soviet Union city of Leningrad, an event he found so moving he later wrote a song about it.
1987: David Martin, bass player with Sam The Sham and The Pharaohs, died of a heart attack at the age of 50. Martin was a founding member of the band and co-wrote their 1965, #2 hit 'Wooly Bully.' After leaving The Pharaohs in 1966 over management conflicts, he returned to Dallas and opened a television and video repair store.
1992: While performing his song 'Don Henley Must Die' at an Austin nightclub, the psychobilly artist Mojo Nixon is surprised when Henley, who happened to be in the neighborhood, climbs up on stage and starts beatboxing along with it. Nixon says it was the first time in his life he was left speechless. Henley seeing the humor in the song forces his critics to rethink what they perceive as his earnest arrogance.
1995: The Ramones launch their 'Adios Amigos' farewell tour in Rhode Island.
1995: Elvis Costello and the Attractions reunite for the first of five nights at New York's Beacon Theater.
1997: Filthy Lucre, featuring Phil Lewis of L.A. Guns releases their album, 'Popsmear.'
1998: The Beastie Boys started a three-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart with 'Hello Nasty,' their 3rd U.S. chart topping album.
1998: The Beatles win UK music magazine Mojo's "Favourite Recording Artist Of All Time," beating out Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Queen, and Elton John in that order.
2000: Liverpool music store Rushworth and Dreaper closed down after 150 years of trading. The store had become famous after supplying The Beatles and other Liverpool group's with musical instruments.
2003: Aerosmith & Kiss kicked off their co-headlining tour dubbed the 'Rocksimus Maximus Tour' at the ctnow.com Meadows Music Theater in Hartford, CT. This was Kiss’ first tour with Tommy Thayer playing guitar & wearing Ace Frehley’s makeup & costume. The tour went on to gross $64 million.
2004: Eric Clapton bought a 50% share in Cordings to save the historic gentleman's outfitters from closure. The store, based in London since 1839 had run into financial difficulties. The guitarist said he had been fond of the shop since a window display caught his eye when he was 16, and had become a regular shopper their. Cordings was the originator of the Covert coat and the Tattersall shirt and made riding boots for the Queen Mother, the Duke of Windsor and Mrs Simpson.
2005: Status Quo filmed a cameo appearance in UK's 'Coronation Street' playing themselves. Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt were set to appear in three episodes of the long-running ITV soap.
2007: Members of Pearl Jam's Ten Club get a private intimate show at Chicago's Vic Theatre. Tickets are $150 per pair.
2007: Marilyn Manson's former keyboard player Stephen Gregory Bier Jr. (aka Madonna Wayne Gacy) files a lawsuit charging Manson with breach of contract. Bier alleges that the singer spent band funds on a series of bizarre personal purchases, including Nazi memorabilia. "The fact that (Bier is) claiming that I've treated him unfairly, financially, is really ridiculous," says Manson.
2007: Elvis Presley Enterprises announces plans to revamp Graceland, the singer's home, with a visitor's center, convention hotel, and high-tech multimedia displays.
2007: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards signed a deal reportedly worth more than $7 million to write his autobiography. The book, which traces his life from cherubic choirboy to Rock 'n' Roll survivor, hit stores in the fall of 2010.
2008: Rage Against The Machine's set at Lollapalooza in Chicago has to be halted three times as frontman Zack de la Rocha pleads with fans to settle down.
2009: Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl returns to his childhood hometown of Warren, OH, to attend the dedication of an alley named in his honor. Grohl is given the key to the city and performs acoustic versions of three Foo Fighters' songs. "I am very, very proud to have this and to be from here because I know I can always come back here and be home," says Grohl.
2011: Fountains Of Wayne release their 5th studio album, 'Sky Full Of Holes.'
2012: Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe is released from a Czech Republic prison after being held for over a month. The arrest stemmed from a 2010 incident where a fan allegedly jumped on stage and got into a physical altercation with Blythe. The fan later died. Blythe was never charged and posted bail of $200,000 which was eventually upped by the court to $400,000.
2012: The Who's Pete Townshend and several other British musicians publish a letter in The London Times supporting the Russian female Punk group Pussy Riot, who are on trial in Moscow for protesting against the government of President Vladimir Putin. "Dissent is a right in any democracy and it is entirely disproportionate that they face seven years in jail for what we consider a preposterous charge," reads the letter. "We believe firmly that it is the role of the artist to make legitimate political protest and fight for freedom of speech."
2013: Black Flag cofounder Greg Ginn launches legal action against his ex-bandmates, saying they have no right to tour under the name Flag. Ginn tours as Black Flag. The lawsuit also targets former Black Flag frontman Henry Rollins though he has nothing to do with either lineup.
2013: Nielsen SoundScan reported that U.S. album sales totaled 4.68 million for the week ending July 28, the lowest weekly total since the tracking system was formed in May, 1991.
2014: Weird Al Yankovic's 'Mandatory Fun' goes to #1, giving the parody master his first chart-topping album.
2014: A fundraising event in Redditch, England helps raise cash for a memorial in honor of Led Zeppelin drummer Jon Bonham. Bonham's younger sister, Deborah performs.
2015: Slipknot bassist Alex 'Vman' Venturella is rushed to a hospital after he collapses due to severe dehydration midway through a concert in Hartford, CT. There's a 20 minute delay but Slipknot finishes the show. Venturella is treated and released.
2015: Dave Grohl promises to bring the Foo Fighters to Cesena, Italy where 1,000 musicians performed the group's 'Learn To Fly' in unison. A video of the performance logged over 15 million YouTube views in three days.
2016: Queensryche guitarist Michael Wilton endorses Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Sort of. "You know, I'm kind of disappointed in both of 'em (Trump and Hillary Clinton), but if I had to choose the leader of the world, I think I'd probably want Trump."
2017: Linkin Park has 23 titles on Billboard's Hot Rock Songs chart — less than three weeks following the death of the band's lead singer, Chester Bennington, who committed suicide on 7/20. The ’01 track 'Numb' is #1 on Hot Rock Songs chart, and seven of the Top 10 are songs cover the band’s entire discography, beginning with 'Hybrid Theory' through 'One More Light.'

August 3
1929: Emile Berliner, the inventor of the Gramophone, died of a heart attack in Washington, DC at the age of 78. His 1895 hand cranked machine pioneered the use of 7 inch, flat records.
1955: Bill Haley files a law suit against Dave Miller of Essex Records. Haley asks the court to ban Miller from issuing recordings that Haley made while under an Essex contract. The suit describes the recordings as "of inferior quality to said plaintiffs current releases."
1959: 'A Big Hunk Of Love' becomes Elvis Presley's 14th straight Gold record. Recorded in Nashville while he was still in the Army, it was the first of Presley's hits that did not include guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black.
1963: The Beatles appeared at The Cavern Club in Liverpool for the very last time. They had performed 274 concerts at the dingy, basement club since their debut there 2½ years earlier. Their first gig paid them £5 ($14) and their last brought in £300 ($840). The last show was so stifling hot due to the overcapacity crowd that the power failed, the walls were wet and two members of an opening band collapsed. During their set the power failure silenced their instruments and plunged the Cavern into temporary darkness. Lennon and McCartney performed an acoustic version of 'When I'm 64,' a song they wouldn't release until 1967, while waiting for the electricity to return.
1963: The Beach Boys released 'Surfer Girl,' the first song Brian Wilson ever wrote and the first one he produced. It would climb to #7 in the U.S. by September. It's flip-side, 'Little Deuce Coupe,' proved to be The Beach Boys' most successful B-side, reaching #15 in America and becoming a hot rod classic.
1966: The Beach Boys played the Fresno Memorial Auditorium in Fresno, CA.
1966: The South African government banned the broadcast of Beatles songs after John Lennon’s remark that his group was more popular than Jesus.
1966: The Rolling Stones began nine days recording sessions for their next album at RCA Studios in Hollywood. Tracks recorded included: 'Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow?,' 'Let’s Spend The Night Together,' 'My Obsession,' 'Yesterday's Papers' and 'Back Street Girl.'
1967: To promote Ravi Shankar’s Hollywood Bowl concert, George Harrison joined the sitar player at his news conference.
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience played the first of five nights at the Salvation Club in New York City.
1968: Light on material for their third album, 'Waiting For The Sun,' The Doors resurrect an early demo called 'Hello, I Love You.' The re-recorded version started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart, the group's second US #1. 'Hello I Love You,' was also in the Top 5 at the same time as Jose Feliciano's version of 'Light My Fire,' giving The Doors two songs written by the group simultaneously in the Top 5. 'Hello, I Love You' became The Doors’ 2nd and final #1 single. The group had 8 top 40 US hits from 1967-71.
1968: The two day Newport Pop Festival took place in Costa Mesa, California with Alice Cooper, The Grateful Dead, Iron Butterfly, Jefferson Airplane, Canned Heat, Chambers Brothers, Charles Lloyd Quartet, Country Joe and the Fish, Electric Flag, James Cotton Blues Band, Eric Burdon and The Animals, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sonny & Cher, Steppenwolf and Tiny Tim. Over 100,000 fans attended the festival. Admission was $5.50 per day for the two-day festival.
1969: Led Zeppelin play the Houston Music Hall in Houston, TX.
1969: Beach Boy Carl Wilson was indicted in Los Angeles after failing to work as a hospital orderly in lieu of serving in the Army during the Vietnam War.
1969: Janis Joplin sings with Little Richard at the Atlantic City Pop Festival.
1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival release their 3rd studio album, 'Green River.'
1970: Janis Joplin made her final TV appearance on The Dick Cavett Show.
1970: Canned Heat﻿ released their 5th album, 'Future Blues.' It reached #59 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart; the single 'Let's Work Together' (a cover of a Wilbert Harrison song) reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1971: Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new group Wings with his wife Linda and former Moody Blues guitarist and singer Denny Laine.
1971: Ringo Starr's 'It Don't Come Easy' is certified gold. It went to #4 in both the U.S. and the UK. Ringo was given full writer's credit even though it was later revealed that George Harrison not only helped him, but may have written the bulk of the song.
1971: The Who play The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1973: 'ABC’s In Concert,' broadcast an Eagles show from UCLA.
1974: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band opened for Canadian songbird Anne Murray at the Schaefer Music Festival in New York's Central Park. It was the last gig Bruce played with drummer Ernie “Boom Boom” Carter and keyboardist David Sancious.
1974: Judas Priest‬ released their debut single 'Rocka Rolla.' The B-side to the single was 'Never Satisfied,' which was co-written by Al Atkins.
1974: Guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter left Steely Dan to join The Doobie Brothers. Jeff Porcaro would take his place before moving on to form Toto. Michael McDonald also hitched up with Steely Dan when Porcaro joined, but he too eventually left to become a member of The Doobies.
1974: KISS performed at the Convention Center in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1974: Bad Company went to #1 on the U.S. album chart with their self-titled debut album. The band were made up of former members from Free, (Paul Rodgers & Simon Kirke), Mott The Hoople, (Mick Ralphs), and King Crimson, (Boz Burrell).
1975: The 3rd in the series of promoter Bill Graham's annual summer Day On The Green concerts took place in Oakland, CA at the Oakland Coliseum. The show featured Robin Trower, Peter Frampton, Dave Mason, Fleetwood Mac and Gary Wright.
1975: Black Sabbath appeared at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
1976: The 6th in the series of promoter Bill Graham's Day On The Green concerts took place at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. The show featured The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Loggins and Messina and Renaissance.
1976: Eric Clapton played at the ABC Theatre in Plymouth, England.
1977: The Steve Miller Band headlined at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.
1978: Aerosmith appeared at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
1979: The Knack hit the top of both the album and singles charts with their LP, 'Get The Knack' and the single, 'My Sharona.'
1979: The Talking Heads issue their 3rd studio album, 'Fear Of Music.' It reached #21 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
1979: AC/DC﻿'s 6th studio album, 'Highway to Hell' is released. It reached #17 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. In 2003, the album was ranked #199 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It was their last album with Bon Scott.
1979: Ted Nugent, AC/DC and the Scorpions played the Pittsburch Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
1980: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Starlight Bowl in San Diego, California.
1985: Tears For Fears started a three week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'Shout,' the duo's 2nd U.S. #1.
1985: 'Drive' by The Cars was re-released following it's dramatic use on TV during the Live Aid concert. All the royalties from the record went to the Band Aid trust.
1985: Bruce Springsteen's 'Glory Days' peaks at #5. It's Springsteen’s 6th top 10 single in the U.S.
1985: Power Station's 'Get It On' peaks at #9 on the U.S. pop chart. That's one position higher than the T-Rex original in 1972, when the song was known as '(Bang A Gong) Get It On.'
1985: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts by Bon Jovi’s 'In And Out Of Love' at #88. Ratt’s 'Lay It Down' was #47, REO Speedwagon’s 'Every Moment' #45, Phil Collins’ 'Don’t Lose My Number' #29, Bryan Adams’ 'Summer Of ‘69' #15, and Duran Duran’s 'A View To A Kill' at #11.
1986: The News Of The World in the UK printed an exclusive interview with 16 year old model Mandy Smith, who revealed she has been having an affair with Rolling Stone Bill Wyman for the past 2 and a half years.
1987: Def Leppard release their 4th studio album, 'Hysteria.' The album is titled by drummer Rick Allen reflecting upon the hysterical media coverage following his car accident where he lost his arm. It becomes their best-selling album ever, with over 20 million copies sold worldwide. It reached #1 on both the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart and the UK Albums Chart. In 2004, the album was ranked at number 472 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
1988: Steve Winwood hits the top of the pop charts with the R&B influenced 'Roll With It.'
1991: In Houston, Ted Nugent faced off against animal rights groups at a hunting show.
1991: Metallica held a playback party to launch their self-titled 'Black' album at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Kurt Cobain and Chris Novoselic from Nirvana both attended. Lars Ulrich mentioned in an interview with MTV that the only annoying thing was that album played the Garden before they did. Metallica didn’t play Madison Square Garden until March of 1997. The album goes on to sell 30 million copies worldwide.
1991: Pearl Jam plays the club RKCNDY in Seattle. The show is filmed and used to create their first video for the song 'Alive.' The audio from the show was used in the video, as the band hated the idea of lip-synching.
1992: The Beach Boys released their 27th studio LP, 'Summer in Paradise.' It did not sell very well, partially because it was overshadowed by a Beach Boys box set issued the following week. The band did not record another album of original material until 'That's Why God Made the Radio' in 2012.
1993: Sheryl Crow released her debut album, 'Tuesday Night Music Club.' The album sells over 5 million copies.
1993: Voivod released their 7th studio album, 'The Outer Limits.'
1993: The Stone Temple Pilots debut album, 'Core,' lands at #3 on the U.S. album chart.
1996: Metallica is joined onstage at their show at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine, California by Lemmy from Motorhead.
2000: Pearl Jam played the first date on the North American leg of their Binaural 73-date world tour at the Virginia Beach Amphitheater in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
2002: Dave Matthews Band's album 'Busted Stuff' hit #1. It's their 3rd straight #1 studio album.They've since added another three to that streak.
2002: In East Troy, Wisconsin, the surviving members of The Grateful Dead played together as The Other Ones.
2002: White Stripes and their song 'Fell In Love With A Girl' are winners at the MTV Video Music Awards.
2002: After an absence of 37 years, Bob Dylan returned to the Newport Folk Festival (now known as the Apple and Eve Newport Folk Festival) where he performed a 2 hour show of 19 songs, wearing a false beard and a wig.
2004: Kid Rock pays tribute to retired Gen. Tommy Franks aboard the Intrepid aircraft carrier at a New York gala celebrating Franks' book 'American Soldier.' Later in the evening, Rock is seen with his on-again/off-again flame Pamela Anderson at a hotel bar.
2004: Laci Van Zant, the father of the Van Zant Southern rock dynasty died. He was 89. His son Ronnie founded Lynyrd Skynyrd, which Johnny Van Zant joined following his brother’s death in a plane crash. A third son, Donnie, played with 38 Special, and now Johnny and Donnie are playing together as Van Zant, a country duo.
2005: More than a dozen animal trophies bagged by Metallica's James Hetfield are auctioned on eBay. The proceeds benefit the Musician's Assistance Program and VH1 Save The Music.
2005: 3 Doors Down singer Brad Arnold and drummer Greg Upchurch perform an unplugged set after a tree knocks down some nearby power lines halfway through the band's Cincinnati show. With a snare drum, a small PA and flashlights, the duo performs for 40 minutes. Even so, the group reschedules the show for later in the year.
2005: Velvet Revolver cancels an appearance on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live (scheduled for August 8th) because drummer Matt Sorum fractured his wrist in a waterskiing accident. Sorum also misses several dates on the group's North American tour. Brian Tichy (Billy Idol, Ozzy Osbourne, Slash's Snakepit, The Dead Daisies) fills in.
2006: Audioslave's Tom Morello and System Of A Down's Serj Tankian lend their names to the 'World Can't Wait' organization's full-page ad in The New York Times opposing President George W. Bush's policies.
2006: The Scorpions perform at Germany's Wacken festival with former bandmembers Michael Schenker, Uli Jon Roth and Hermann Rarebell.
2006: A guard dog goes berserk at the British Children's Museum and rips apart a collection of rare teddy bears, including Mabel, a teddy bear made in Germany in 1909, which was once owned by Elvis Presley. Before the dog went wild, the collection was valued at $900,000.
2006: Arthur Lee (born Arthur Taylor), singer and guitarist of the band Love, dies in Memphis of acute myeloid leukemia. He was 61. Prior to his death, musician friends including Robert Plant, Ian Hunter, Ryan Adams and Nils Lofgren played a benefit for Lee to help pay for his medical costs. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Love’s record, 'Forever Changes,' 40th on its list of the 500 greatest albums. It’s regarded by music critics as one of the best rock albums of all time. In 1996, Lee was sentenced to 12 years in prison for “negligent discharge” of a firearm. He was released in 2001 when a federal appeals court reversed all charges due to the prosecutor at Lee’s trial being guilty of misconduct.
2007: Queen guitarist Brian May handed in his astronomy PhD thesis, 36 years after abandoning it to join the band. May had recently carried out observational work in Tenerife, where he studied the formation of "zodiacal dust clouds". He graduates from Imperial College, London the following May.
2008: Kid Rock was at #1 on the UK singles chart with 'All Summer Long.' The song is based on Warren Zevon's 'Werewolves of London' and Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama.'
2009: Slipknot earns the Best International Band and Best Live Band honors at the 2009 Kerrang! Awards in London. "I can't think of many bands that have worked harder, and it really feels good that people are starting to turn around and really see what we're about," says frontman Corey Taylor. Metallica's "Death Magnetic" takes the Best Album trophy and Alice In Chains gets the Icon Award.
2009: Felony drug charges against ex-Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler are dismissed by a Los Angeles judge after Adler finished a court-ordered narcotics program. Arrested in 2007, Adler initially failed to complete the community service requirements. His lawyer says that the case's outcome is "about the best you can get."
2010: Buckcherry release their 5th studio album, 'All Night Long,' produced by Marti Frederiksen (Aerosmith, Def Leppard and Fuel).
2010: The Black Crowes release a double album, 'Croweology,' containing acoustic renditions of the band's top tracks.
2010: Jim Morrison's hand written lyrics for The Doors 'L.A. Woman' album are sold at a U.K. auction for over $20,000. Also, an abstract painting by Jimi Hendrix goes for $13,000 and $3,300 is the top bid for a black and white poster of The Beatles signed by John Lennon.
2010: Dave Mustaine‬ of ‎Megadeth‬ released his autobiography 'Mustaine: A Heavy Metal Memoir.'
2011: The Red Hot Chili Peppers 'The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie' knocks the Foo Fighters 'Walk' from the #1 slot on the Billboard Rock Songs chart. The song is the lead single from RHCP's tenth studio album, 'I'm With You.' On the Alternative Songs chart, 'The Adventures Of Rain Dance Maggie' is #2, behind "Walk."
2014: Billboard magazine reports that Jack White's album 'Lazaretto' has sold 60,000 vinyl copies (25% of its 238,000 total) to become the biggest selling vinyl LP of the year, and the biggest mover of any year since Pearl Jam's 'Vitalogy' in 1994.
2015: No Doubt singer and The Voice star Gwen Stefani has files for divorce from Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale due to irreconcilable differences. The couple married in 2002.
2015: Former AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd pleaded not guilty to breaching the conditions of his current home detention by drinking alcohol. Rudd had been under house detention since being sentenced for drug possession and making threats to kill in July of this year. The 61-year-old could face further sanctions, including jail time, if the judge decided he did violate his conditions.
2016: Days after performing at Portland's Moda Center, Modest Mouse singer Isaac Brock causes a 5-vehicle accident when he falls asleep at the wheel and crashes into a pickup truck. No serious injuries are reported.
2016: The Red Hot Chili Peppers' single 'Dark Necessities' is their 13th #1 hit on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, and also their 14th chart topper on the Alternative chart. A record.

August 4
1956: The Platters score their second Billboard #1 with their version of 'My Prayer.' The song was originally a French tune written in 1926 by Georges Boulanger called "Avant de Mourir" that had English lyrics added in 1939. Both Glenn Miller and The Ink Spots had hits with it that year.
1957: The Everly Brothers perform 'Wake Up Little Susie'and Gene Vincent's 'Be Bop A Lula' on The Ed Sullivan Show. It is one of the more controversial songs ever played on the show, as there was some question as to what Susie and her date were doing before she fell asleep.
1958: Billboard combines its system of five separate sales, jukebox, and DJ charts to make one master chart, the "Billboard Hot 100." Ricky Nelson was at #1 with 'Poor Little Fool.'
1958: Bobby Darin has his first hit as 'Splish Splash' reaches #3 in America.
1962: The Rolling Stones played the first of 22 weekly shows at Ealing Jazz Club in Ealing, London. They were known as The Rollin' Stones during this period.
1963: The Beatles appeared at the Queen's Theatre in Blackpool. So many fans crowded around the theatre, blocking every entrance, that The Beatles had to go through a construction area, up and across some scaffolding to the roof of the theatre, from where they were lowered through a trap door.
1963: The Beatles appear on the U.S. record charts for the first time as 'From Me To You' debuts at #116. Five months later 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' becomes their breakout hit in America.
1966: John Lennon's comment that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus Christ" was re-printed in an American teen magazine called Datebook and was widely reported in North America. The statement, made to London Evening Standard journalist Maureen Cleave several months earlier, caused a public outcry in the US and led to mass destruction of Beatle records. Thirty five radio stations banned all Beatles songs and even the Ku Klux Klan made threats against the group. What Lennon actually said was "Christianity will go. It will go. It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that, I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus Christ now; I don't know which will go first - rock 'n roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me."
1966: South Africa bans all Beatles music as a result of John Lennon's recent comments claiming the band is "bigger than Jesus."
1966: The Doors with special guests Jefferson Airplane played the Underground Cavern in Greenwich Village, New York.
1967: Pink Floyd released their debut album 'The Piper At the Gates of Dawn' in the UK, on which most songs were penned by Syd Barrett. In subsequent years, the record has been recognized as one of the seminal psychedelic rock albums of the 1960s. When reviewed by the two main UK music papers, Record Mirror and NME both gave the album four stars out of five. The album was recorded at Abbey Road studios, London during the same time that The Beatles were recording Sgt Pepper’s. It peaked at #6 on the UK album chart, and failed to chart in the U.S., when it was released on October 21.
1967: A female Monkees fan stowed away on the bands plane between shows in Minneapolis and St Louis. The girl's father threatened to bring charges for transporting a minor across state lines.
1968: Jimi Hendrix performed at the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, Texas.
1968: The 2nd day of the two day Newport Pop Festival took place in Costa Mesa, California with Blue Cheer, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Grateful Dead, Illinois Speed Press, Iron Butterfly, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service and The Byrds. Over 100,000 fans attended the festival.
1969: Bill Graham announces he's done with San Francisco's Fillmore West at the end of the year.
1970: Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson married Barbara Charren in L.A. They would divorce four years later.
1970: Jim Morrison is arrested in Los Angeles when he drunkenly falls asleep on a woman’s front porch. When she is unable to rouse him in the morning, she calls the police. He is issued a $25 fine and released. It is Morrison’s final arrest before his death in 1971.
1971: Emerson Lake & Palmer appeared at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.
1971: Carole King released her 'So Far Away' b/w 'Smackwater Jack' 45 single. It features James Taylor on acoustic guitar and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart as well as #12 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.
1972: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Community Theater in Berkeley, California.
1974: KISS performed at the Morris Civic Auditorium in South Bend, Indiana.
1974: Emerson, Lake & Palmer, James Gang and Climax Blues Band play the annual World Series of Rock concert at Cleveland Stdium in Cleveland, Ohio.
1975: Led Zeppelin's vocalist Robert Plant and his family suffer severe injuries in a car accident while on vacation on the Mediterranean island of Rhodes. Plant has multiple fractures of his ankle, bones supporting his foot, and elbow. Doctors initally tell Plant he may never walk again. His wife, Maureen, also in the car, suffers a lengthy period of concussions, and breaks her leg in several places, plus has four fractures of the pelvis and facial lacerations. Plant’s son, Karac, 4, suffers a fractured leg and multiple cuts and bruises. His daughter, Carmen, 7, has a broken wrist, cuts and bruises. Rhodos’ medical facility is so ill-equipped that Zeppelin’s label, Swan Song, flies a medical team there in a chartered jet equipped with stretchers, blood plasma and other necessities. The accident delays the group's Fall tour of the U.S. for two full years.
1975: Rainbow release their debut album, 'Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow,' which Blackmore jokingly concedes should have been titled “Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio’s Rainbow.” It peaked at #30 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's Chart. It includes the iconic track 'Man On The Silver Mountain.'
1976: The Grateful Dead played at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey.
1977: AC/DC played at Dubs in Gainesville, Florida.
1979: A benefit concert was held at the Los Angeles Forum to raise money for Little Feat guitarist and singer Lowell George featuring members of his band plus Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Nicolette Larson and Bonnie Raitt.
1979: Dire Straits’ sophomore album 'Communique' reached its peak at #11 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. The album had already been certified Gold.
1979: Led Zeppelin headline the Knebworth Festival in England in front of 120,000 people. It's Zeppelin's first British appearance in four years.
1980: Blue Oyster Cult appeared at the Mary E. Sawyer Auditorium in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
1980: After a five year hiatus, John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin recording their album 'Double Fantasy' at New York's Hit Factory Studio. The LP would go to #1 in the U.S. after its release in November, less than a month before Lennon was gunned down outside his New York apartment. 'Double Fantasy' received the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
1980: Pink Floyd began a five night stand at Earls Court in London performing The Wall which would only be performed live in its entirety by Pink Floyd 29 times.
1981: Bruce Springsteen performed at the Capital Center in Landover, Maryland.
1982: Metallica played at the Whiskey A-Go-Go in Hollywood, opening for Saxon.
1984: Prince started a 24-week run at the top of the U.S. album charts with 'Purple Rain.' It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, becoming the 7th best-selling soundtrack album of all time. It's replaced by Bruce Springsteen's 'Born In The U.S.A' in January 1985 (which incidentally is the album 'Purple Rain' had replaced on this day).
1984: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts by The Cars’ 'Drive.' Huey Lewis’ 'Heart Of Rock N’ Roll' was #49, Scandal featuring Patty Smyth’s 'The Warrior' #33, John Waite’s 'Missing You' #23, RATT’s 'Round And Round' #19, Van Halen’s 'Panama' #16, and Prince’s 'When Doves Cry' was #1. ‬
1984: Phil Collins married girlfriend Jill Tavelman. During the reception, Collins would jam with Eric Clapton & Robert Plant. Collins & Tavelman would divorce in 1996.
1986: The Beatles: 'Yellow Submarine' b/w 'Eleanor Rigby' 45 Picture Disc single is released as part of "It Was Twenty Years Ago" series.
1986: Van Halen opened a sold out, three-night run at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. It was their first shows in the area with new lead singer Sammy Hagar.
1989: Testament released their 3rd studio album, 'Practice What You Preach.' It peaked at #77 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart.
1989: Ozzy Osbourne with special guests White Lion and vIXEN played Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA.
1990: Billy Idol peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Cradle of Love' which was Idol’s last top 40 single in the U.S.
1991: Doro (Pesch) released her 3rd solo album, 'True at Heart.'
1992: Donovan's 'Troubadour: The Definitive Collection 1964-1976' (Box Set) was released. It featured almost all of Donovan's charting singles, many album tracks, and several rare and unreleased tracks.
1996: Oasis played two sold out nights at Balloch Castle Country Park, Loch Lomand, Scotland to over 80,000 fans. Oasis roadie James Hunter was crushed to death between a fork-lift truck and a lorry during the bands two days shows.
1998: A three-day festival commemorating the 29th anniversary of Woodstock, A Day In The Garden, is held in Bethel, NY (the original site). Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Pete Townshend and a re-formed Ten Years After all perform.
2001: Dave Stewart marries Dutch photographer Anoushka Fisz on a private beach on the French Riviera. Guests include his former Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox, Elton John, Mick Jagger, and Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis.
2002: Bruce Springsteen scored his 5th UK #1 album with 'The Rising,' also a chart topper in the U.S.
2004: The city of Cincinnati lifts its 25-year-old ban on general admission seating that was enacted after 11 people were trampled to death prior to a 1979 concert by The Who.
2005: Chevelle play a benefit concert at CBGBs for CBGBs. The historic Rock club is battling its landlord, the Bowery Residence Committee, to renew its 12 year lease which is set to expire at the end of August.
2005: American blues singer and guitarist Little Milton died. Milton had suffered a brain aneurysm on July 25th and had lapsed into a coma. In 1952, while still a teenager playing in local bars, he caught the attention of Ike Turner, who at the time a talent scout for Sam Phillips’ Sun Records. He signed a contract with the label and recorded a number of singles, including the 1965 US number 25 single 'We’re Gonna Make It,' and 1969’s 'Grits Ain’t Groceries.'
2005: Jon Bon Jovi delivers the keynote speech at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in Washington D.C. Talking about his charitable activities. Bon Jovi says "I've done it all but I got more of a rush when I went to the Northern Home for Children (in Philadelphia). We built a playground."
2006: George Harrison scores a #1 album in the United Kingdom. 'All Things Must Pass,' Harrison's solo debut, receives the honor retroactively 35 years after its release. The disc originally stalled at #4 after a postal workers strike prevented sales from being counted fo' eight weeks. Harrison's disc is now recognized as the true U.K. chart-topper for the entire period of the strike.
2006: Alice Cooper begins a fundraising drive to construct a $3 million, 20,000 square foot teen activity center in Phoenix. "There's lots of shootings going, there's lots of meth going on, there's lots of gang's," says Cooper. "In the middle of all that is a bunch of 12, 13, 14-year old kids that can go one way or the other."
2006: John Locke, keyboardist in Spirit and Nazareth, dies of cancer in Ojai, CA. He was 62. Classically trained as a pianist by his mother, he briefly played in a group with Robbie Krieger, the guitarist who subsequently joined the Doors. In Ojai, he ran a recording studio.
2006: Slayer released the album 'Christ Illusion.' It entered the Billboard Top 200 at #5, the band's second highest U.S. chart position. It includes the Grammy Award winning songs 'Eye of the Insane' and 'Final Six.'
2007: Lee Hazlewood (born Barton Lee Hazlewood), singer, songwriter and producer, dies of cancer in Henderson, NV. He was 78. Hazlewood is perhaps best known for having written and produced the 1966 Nancy Sinatra hit 'These Boots Are Made for Walkin.' He also produced Duane Eddy and Gram Parsons.
2007: Tool's Adam Jones, Army Of Anyone's Dean DeLeo and Avenged Sevenfold's Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance participate in the Sherd School conference in Los Angeles. The one-day event has workshops on how to make it in the music industry and life in a Rock band.
2008: South Dakota Governor Mike Rounds declares KISS Rock and Roll Day in the state. The honor coincides with the group's appearance at the Rock n' The Rally Festival in Sturgis. During the onstage presentation Rounds thanks the band for its support of the U.S. military.
2008: Judas Priest plays a show at New York's Hard Rock Cafe to celebrate DJ/VH1 Classic host Eddie Trunk's 25th anniversary in the radio business.
2008: Bono proves he reads RollingStone.com as the U2 frontman posts a long comment reminiscing about the band's first album 'Boy.'
2009: A Federal jury ruled that a 25-year-old Boston University graduate student must pay $675,000 to four music companies for illegally downloading and distributing more than two dozen songs. The man said that he would file for bankruptcy protection.
2010: Don Henley reached an out-of-court settlement with Republican Senatorial candidate Chuck DeVore who used parodies of two Eagles' hits for an election campaign without permission. 'All She Wants To Do Is Dance' and 'The Boys of Summer' were used in campaign videos on YouTube as 'All She Wants To Do Is Tax' and 'Hope Of November.'
2010: Avenged Sevenfold and their album 'Nightmare' are #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. It's the group's first chart topper having sold 163,000 units sold the previous week.
2010: The Beach Boys' publishing company, Rondor Music, was threatening to file a lawsuit against Katy Perry for using the lyrics to the band's classic song, 'California Girls' on her new song of the same name. A spokesman said "Using the words or melody in a new song taken from an original work is not appropriate under any circumstances, particularly from one as well known and iconic as 'California Girls'.
2010: Cage The Elephant nails the #1 spot on Billboard's Alternative Songs chart with 'In One Ear.' The song is the second single from their self-titled debut album.
2010: Bret Michaels (Poison) performs 'Every Rose Has Its Thorn' on America's Got Talent.
2011: The late Johnny Cash is honored by his family and friends (7,000 of them) at a tribute concert in Jonesboro, AK, to raise funds for the preservation of Cash's childhood home in Dyess, AK.
2012: Stuart Swanlund, Marshall Tucker Band guitarist, dies in his sleep in Chicago. He was 54. Swanlund, the longest running band member besides co-founder Doug Gray, joined the group for its second incarnation following the band’s dissolution in 1983 and reformation in 1985.
2014: Adrenaline Mob bassist John Moyer announces, via Facebook, that he will not be around for an upcoming tour due to scheduling conflicts. The statement seems to catch Adrenaline Mob by surprise, though Moyer, who is also a member of Disturbed, claims he told the group of his decision three weeks earlier.
2015: Lamb Of God's 'VII: Sturm Und Drang' debuts at #1 on the Canadian and U.K. Rock charts. In the U.S., the album is #2 on the Top Current Albums chart and #3 on the Top 200 album chart.
2015: The book 'Alice In Chains: The Untold Story,' by David DeSola, is released.
2015: Supertramp canceled their upcoming European tour so that leader Rick Davies could undergo treatment for myeloma. The band, who hadn't played live in five years, was planning on hitting the road on November 3rd for a 25-city tour scheduled to wrap up with a sold-out show in Amsterdam on December 11th.
2016: In an open letter, Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee criticizes House of Blues Entertainment president Ron Bension for joining the SeaWorld board. Lee has been a long-time critic of SeaWorld. “Please, save the orcas and your reputation by urging SeaWorld to build sanctuaries where these animals could feel ocean currents, hear wild pods, and still be cared for as long as they need,” writes Lee.
2017: Accept released their 15th studio album, 'The Rise Of Chaos.' It's the first album with guitarist Uwe Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams.
2017: Quiet Riot released their 13th studio album, 'Road Rage.' It's the first to feature former American Idol alum James Durbin on lead vocals succeeding Kevin DuBrow & Jizzy Pearl.
2017: Following frontman Chester Bennington’s death (suicide) eleven songs spanning Linkin Park's entire catalog receive platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In addition, 'Minutes To Midnight,' is recognized for sales of over 5-million copies.

August 5
1957: American Bandstand, with 26 year old host Dick Clark, premiered on the ABC television network. The program had been broadcast locally on Philadelphia station WFIL since 1952. The first record Clark played on the network debut show was 'That'll Be the Day' by Buddy Holly and his first guests were the Chordettes. Clark hosted the show until 1989 when he was replaced by David Hirsch, but the show would be cancelled five months later.
1965: The Beatles were at #1 on the UK singles chart with 'Help!' The group's eighth consecutive UK #1 single. John Lennon later stated he wrote the lyrics of the song to express his stress after the Beatles' quick rise to success. "I was fat and depressed and I was crying out for 'Help'."
1965: Jan Berry of Jan and Dean was accidentally knocked off a camera car and broke his leg on the first day of filming a new film 'Easy Come, Easy Go.' Several other people were also hurt, causing Paramount to cancel the movie entirely.
1966: The Beatles released 'Revolver' in the UK. The album features Paul McCartney's 'Got To Get You Into My Life' and 'Good Day Sunshine'; John Lennon's 'She Said, She Said' and 'Tomorrow Never Knows'; George Harrison's 'Taxman' and Ringo Starr's vocals on 'Yellow Submarine.' It went to #1 almost immediately on the UK album chart and stayed there for nine weeks. In 2003, the album was ranked #332 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The album is often regarded as one of the greatest achievements in music history and one of The Beatles' greatest studio achievements.
1967: Pink Floyd released their debut album, 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn,' in England. Most of the songs were penned by Syd Barrett. In subsequent years, the record has been recognized as one of the seminal psychedelic rock albums of the 1960's. The LP did not contain the two singles released earlier in the year, 'Arnold Layne and 'See Emily Play.' It peaked at #6 on the UK album chart and failed to chart in the U.S. when it was released on October 21st. It only managed to climb to #131 on The Billboard Hot 200 and took nearly 27 years to be certified Gold when it received the honor in March of 1994. When reviewed, by the two main UK music papers in the UK, Record Mirror and NME both gave the album four stars out of five. The album which was recorded at Abbey Road studios, London during the same time that The Beatles were recording 'Sgt Pepper.'
1967: The Monkees played at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri.
1967: The Doors played the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, CA.
1968: The Who appeared at the International Amphitheater in Chicago, Illinois.
1968: Country guitarist Luther Perkins died at the age of 40 as a result of severe burns and smoke inhalation. Perkins fell asleep at home in his den with a cigarette in his hand. He was dragged from the fire unconscious with severe second and third degree burns. Perkins never regained consciousness. He worked with Johnny Cash and The Carter Family, and featured on the live album Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.
1969: George Harrison had his new Moog synthesizer brought into the studio for The Beatles to use in finishing their forthcoming album ‘Abbey Road.' Moog overdubs were recorded onto ‘Because.'
1969: The Stooges released their self-titled debut album. It reached #106 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. In 2003, the album was ranked #185 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The same magazine included '1969' in their "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" list.
1969: Creedence Clearwater Revival released their 3rd studio album, 'Green River.' It topped the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart for four weeks in October 1969, being replaced by The Beatles 'Abbey Road.' It also reached #26 on the Billboard Top R&B LP's chart. Four singles reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart: 'Bad Moon Rising' (#2), 'Commotion' (#30), 'Green River' (#2), 'Lodi' (#52). In 2003, the album was ranked #95 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It features two of the band's best-known songs, 'Bad Moon Rising' and the title track.
1972: Derek and the Dominos peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Layla' nearly two years after its initial release.
1972: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Sports Arena in San Diego, CA.
1972: Alice Cooper, J. Geils Band and Dr.John played the Akron Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio.
1972: Clive Davis signed a young band called Aerosmith to Columbia Records after seeing them play Max’s Kansas City in New York. They received $125,000 at the signing.
1972: A Rock and Roll revival concert is held at Wembley Stadium near London, featuring Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Billy Fury, Bill Haley, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The crowd is made up of mostly greasers, Teddy Boys and trouble makers who disrupt the show and at one point, boo Little Richard off the stage.
1973: Bob Seger's 'Back in '72' album is released. It reached #188 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. However, the album and its supporting tour mark the beginnings of Seger's long-time relationships with future Silver Bullet Band saxophonist Alto Reed, powerhouse female vocalist Shaun Murphy, and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. The album contains the original studio version of 'Turn the Page.' A concert recording of the song from Seger's 'Live Bullet' album in 1975 would become a staple of classic rock radio.
1973: The first Day On The Green presented by legendary concert promoter Bill Graham took place at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA. It featured Leon Russell, Loggins and Messina, Elvin Bishop and Merry Clayton.
1974: The Grateful Dead performed at the Civic Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1974: Kim Fowley brought together the four girls who would go on to form The Runaways, which included Joan Jett, future Bangle Michael Steele, and Lita Ford.
1975: Black Sabbath perform at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
1976: NBC-TV airs the 15th anniversary Beach Boys special 'It's OK,' featuring cameos by John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
1977: The Police, The Clash, The Damned, The Boys, The Rich Kids, Electric Kellar and Asphelt Jungle all appeared at the Mont de Marsan Punk festival in France.
1978: Aerosmith, Foreigner, ACDC, Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush and Walter Egan played at the 'Summer Jam' at Comiskey Park in Chicago, IL.
1978: Steve Martin's novelty tune 'King Tut' peaks at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100, nearly three months after it was featured in a skit on TV's Saturday Night Live. Some of the backing musicians on the track, who called themselves the Toot Uncommons, were actually members of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The record, which paid homage to Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen, would go on to sell over a million copies.
1978: The Rolling Stones saw their only Disco-style effort, 'Miss You' become their 8th #1 single in the U.S. It reached #3 in the UK. It has been reported that the lyrics were inspired by Mick Jagger's deteriorating relationship with his wife, Bianca. The song was written by Mick Jagger after jamming with keyboardist Billy Preston during rehearsals for forthcoming club dates the Stones were playing.
1978: The Who 'Who Are You' b/w 'Had Enough' 45 single is released in the U.S. (July 14 in the UK). The title track on The Who's 1978 release, 'Who Are You,' the last album released before drummer Keith Moon's death in September 1978. It was released as a double-A sided single with the John Entwistle composition 'Had Enough,' also featured on the album. The song became one of the band's biggest U.S. hits, peaking at #14 and at #7 in Canada.
1978: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts Trooper’s 'Raise A Little Hell' at #90 & Aerosmith’s 'Come Together' at #81. Meat Loaf’s 'Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad' was #44, Tom Petty’s' I Need To Know' #41, Eddie Money’s 'Two Tickets To Paradise' #32, and Foreigner’s 'Hot Blooded' was #8.
1979: Def Leppard signed to Phonogram records with an advance of $180,000 giving them a 10% royalty on 100% of sales for the first two years.
1979: Journey headlined Chicago radio station WLUP 'The Loop's Day in the Park at Comiskey Park. Also on the bill were Santana, Thin Lizzy, Eddie Money and Molly Hatchet.
1983: Crosby Stills Nash & Young member David Crosby was sentenced to five years in jail in Texas for cocaine and firearms offences. Crosby had slept through most of his trial. He says, “They got me for a quarter of a gram of pipe residue. For that I’m going to spend five years in the state penitentiary? A quarter of a gram?” He was released on parole five months later.
1984: Bruce Springsteen played the first of ten nights at the Meadowlands in New Jersey to mark the homecoming of the 'Born in the USA' Tour.
1985: Bruce Springsteen kicked off the fourth leg of his 'Born in the USA' world tour at the Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington D.C.
1985: The establishment of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was announced.
1986: Poison release their debut single, 'Cry Tough.'
1987: Poison release their single 'I Won’t Forget You.' It peaks at #13 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
1989: 'So Alive' by Love And Rockets peaks at #3 on the pop chart.
1989: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts from Cinderella’s 'Gypsy Road' at #88 & Beastie Boys’ 'Hey Ladies' at #67. Warrant’s 'Heaven' was #36, Skid Row’s '18 And Life' #32, Jeff Healey Band’s 'Angel Eyes' #24, Bon Jovi’s 'Lay Your Hands On Me' #7, and Great White’s 'Once Bitten...Twice Shy' at #6.‬
1992: Jeff Porcaro drummer from Toto died age 38. His death has been the subject of controversy: some say the attack was caused by an allergic reaction to garden pesticide, while others say Porcaro's heart was weakened by smoking and cocaine use. Porcaro also worked with many other acts including Sonny and Cher, Roger Waters, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Steely Dan, Paul Simon and Boz Scaggs.
1993: Randy Hobbs, bass player with The McCoys, the Edgar Winter Group, Montrose and Rick Derringer’s band, is found dead in his hotel room in Dayton, Ohio from a suspected drug overdose. He was 45. He also played bass with Jimi Hendrix on his 1968 live sessions. At the time of his death, he was reported to be living in poverty due to his drug habit and eating at soup kitchens
1994: Billy Idol is rushed to St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, CA following a suspected overdose. Earlier in the year, he had collapsed in convulsions outside the Beverly Hills club Tatou, supposedly after overdosing on the once-legal steroid substitute GHB.
1996: 55 year old Wilson Pickett checked into a drug rehabilitation center after a New Jersey judge had given him the choice of rehab for his cocaine addiction or jail.
1996: Bruce Springsteen sued two London bootleggers who were distributing an album attributed to him titled Unearthed.
1996: It was reported that UK TV music show 'Top Of The Pops' had hit rock bottom with it's lowest audience ever - only two and a half million viewers. In its heyday the show attracted over 17 million viewers each week.
1997: Aerosmith released the single, 'Hole In My Soul,' from the 'Nine Lives' album.
1999: Patsy Cline gets a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Although primarily remembered as a Country artist, she placed four hits on the Billboard Top 40, 'Walkin' After Midnight' (#12), 'I Fall To Pieces' (#12), 'Crazy' (#9) and 'She's Got You' (#14).
2002: Def Leppard released their single, 'Now,'from their 'X' album.
2003: Lynyrd Skynyrd cancelled the remainder of their 'Party of a Lifetime' tour after lead guitarist Gary Rossington’s doctor told him to take it easy. Rossington had undergone open-heart surgery six months earlier.
2003: The Rolling Stones were forced to postpone a gig in Benidorm, Spain after 60-year-old Mick Jagger contracted laryngitis.
2003: Skid Row release their first album with singer Johnny Solinger, 'thickskin.'
2005: Green Day wins back the master rights to their first four releases from the Berkeley, CA, based Lookout! Records bcause of a breach of contract over unpaid royalties from the financially strapped indie.
2006: Hundreds of KISS fans, some in full face paint, protest outside the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, demanding that the band be inducted. According to a Rock Hall rep, the half-hour demonstration was the first of its kind. KISS became eligible for inclusion in the Rock Hall ten years earlier. They eventually get inducted in 2014.
2007: Beatles fans feared the misuse of the Fab Four’s music had hit rock bottom following the decision to license ‘All You Need Is Love’ for use in a Luvs diapers ad. Procter & Gamble had purchased the rights to use the song from Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which now owned Northern Songs, the Beatles’ catalog. The ad featured a baby in a disposable diaper which offered ‘ultimate leak protection,' jumping on a teddy bear.
2007: Pearl Jam headlines the closing night of Lollapalooza in Chicago. During the show, lyrics criticizing President Bush are censored from a live webcast by AT&T Inc. The lines are cut from a rendition of 'Daughter' (with a part to the tune of Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall') include "George Bush, leave this world alone," the second time it was sung, and "George Bush find yourself another home." Days later AT&T says they made a mistake. Following the incident Pearl Jam posts a notice. "This troubles us as citizens concerned with the issue of censorship and the increasingly consolidated control of the media," writes the band. They also promise to "work harder to ensure live broadcasts or webcasts are 'free from arbitrary edits'."
2008: The 'Songs For Tibet' compilation is released. Featuring Rush and Sting, the acoustic album sends "a musical message of support to Tibet and the Dalai Lama" to coincide with the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Proceeds go to Art of Peace Foundation and projects championed by the Dalai Lama.
2009: Plans for a free show to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the legendary Woodstock music festival were cancelled by Michael Lang, one of the original promoters. Lang told Rolling Stone magazine that the reason for the cancellation was "Money. No sponsors."
2009: Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler falls off the stage at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. He breaks his shoulder and has other head and neck injuries, and was subsequently airlifted to Rapid City Regional Hospital. The band has to cancel the rest of their tour. Tyler was dancing on the catwalk and trying to entertain the crowd after the band’s sound equipment failed during 'Love in an Elevator.'
2011: Lollapalooza, with headliners Foo Fighters, Coldplay and Muse, celebrates its 20th anniversary. "I take great delight in knowing that for the past 20 years we've given so many new artists a prestigious stage and a massive audience to play in front of," says Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction), the founder of Lollapalooza.
2011: The Disney Channel original movie 'Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension' premieres. 'Kick It Up A Notch,' a song by Slash is on the soundtrack. The guitarist states that the cartoon is "one of his guilty pleasures."
2012: The Anthrax song 'Got The Time' was the first heavy metal song played on the planet Mars.
2013: Metallica tops Nielsen's list of the top 100 Recordings of the SoundScan Era (starting in 1991). Their self-titled 'Black' album has sold over 15 million copies.
2013: The Turtles' Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman led a $100 million class action lawsuit against SiriusXM, claiming the satellite radio provider infringed on millions of old recordings from a multitude of artists.
2014: Godsmack release '1000hp.' It sells 58,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week of release to land at #3 on The Billboard 200 chart.
2014: Slipknot release the video to 'The Negative One.' Not only is it the first new music from the group in six years, it's also their first release without both drummer Joey Jordison, who left the band the previous year, and the late bassist Paul Gray, who died in 2010.
2015: Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards made headlines when he told Esquire magazine what he thought of The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' by saying "Some people think it's a genius album, but I think it's a mishmash of rubbish, kind of like Satanic Majesties. Oh, if you can make a load of shit, so can we."
2015: Motorhead, the Ramones, the Runaways and Slash receive Rock Honors Awards at the Indie Entertainment Summit in L.A.
2015: The Smithsonian Institute's National Museum Of History presents a video celebrating Slayer's musical invention and innovation. The band's Kerry King says their goal was to be the "anti-Ratt, anti-Motley Crue; anything we could do to not be a hair band."
2015: For the second time in less than a month, Puddle Of Mudd singer Wes Scantlin is arrested for driving under the influence. He's pulled over in South Dakota for speeding and is cited for possession of marijuana.
2016: 'Suicide Squad' is in theaters. The film, about a group of imprisoned DC villains who are enlisted by the government to complete a deadly mission, features 30 Seconds To Mars' Jared Leto as The Joker.
2016: Jackyl released their album 'Rowyco.'
2016: 'Echoes Of The Tortured' is the debut album from Sinsaenum. The group has former Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison and Dragonforce's Frederic Leclercq.

August 6
1955: Elvis Presley's first #1 record was released. The song was called 'I Forgot to Remember to Forget' and when it hit the top of the U.S. Country charts several months later, it stayed there for 5 weeks.
1960: Chubby Checker appeared on American Bandstand and performed 'The Twist.' The song went to #1 on the US chart and again 18 months later in 1962. It is the only song to go to the top of the charts on two separate occasions.
1963: In the evening at Studio A of the Columbia Recording Studio, New York City, Bob Dylan recorded the first session produced by Tom Wilson for the album 'The Times They Are A-Changin'. Dylan's third studio album was the first collection to feature only original compositions, the title track being one of Dylan's most famous. The album consists mostly of stark, sparsely-arranged story songs concerning issues such as racism, poverty, and social change.
1963: The Beach Boys played the Electric Park Ballroom in Waterloo, Iowa.
1964: Rod Stewart made his TV debut on BBC-TV's 'The Beat Room' as a member of The Hoochie Coochie Men.
1965: The Beatles released their 5th album and soundtrack to their 2nd film ‘Help!’ which included the title track, ‘The Night Before,' ‘You've Got to Hide Your Love Away,' ‘You're Going to Lose That Girl,' ‘Ticket to Ride’ and ‘Yesterday.'
1965: The 5th National Jazz & Blues Festival in England virtually shunts aside the Jazz performers in favor of the Yardbirds, The Who and Moody Blues.
1965: Decca records released The Small Faces debut single 'Whatcha Gonna Do About It.' It peaked at #14 on the UK chart, #28 and Canada, and did not chart in the US.
1966: Paul Revere & the Raiders appeared at the Sports Arena in Toledo, Ohio.
1966: Sam The Sham And The Pharaohs top the Cashbox Best Sellers list with 'Lil' Red Riding Hood,' a #2 hit on the Billboard chart. A week later, the RIAA will certify it as a Gold Record, with sales exceeding one million copies.
1966: As the Fleet Street press in London reports on the "bigger than Jesus" controversy in America, Beatles manager Brian Epstein cuts his vacation short and flies to New York City for a televised press conference where he defends John Lennon's remarks, stating "The quote which John Lennon made to a London columnist has been quoted and misrepresented entirely out of context of the article, which was in fact highly complimentary to Lennon as a person... Lennon didn't mean to boast about The Beatles' fame. He meant to point out that The Beatles' effect appeared to be a more immediate one upon, certainly, the younger generation. John is deeply concerned and regrets that people with certain religious beliefs should have been offended."
1968: The Who perform at the Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin made their one and only appearance in Sacramento, California, playing at Memorial Auditorium.
1970: The 10th National Jazz, Blues and Pop four day Festival was held at Plumpton Racecourse in Sussex, England. Featuring, Family, Groundhogs, Cat Stevens, Deep Purple, Fat Mattress, Yes, Caravan, The Strawbs, Black Sabbath, Wild Angles, Wishbone Ash and Daddy Longlegs.
1970: Steppenwolf, Janis Joplin, Paul Simon, Poco and Johnny Winter perform at the Concert For Peace at New York's Shea Stadium. The concert date coincided with the 25th anniversary of dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
1971: Pink Floyd made their first ever visit to Japan, playing three dates there. The first show was at Seikei Gakuen Jofundai, near Lake Ashi, in Hakone for the Hakone Aphrodite ’71 along with Buffy Sainte Marie, The 1910 Fruit Gum Company, Mops, Strawberry Path, Happenings Four, and several other Japanese acts.
1972: The Allman Brothers Band with special guest the Kenny Loggins Band featuring Jim Messina played at the Hollywood Bowl.
1972: Alice Cooper, Canned Heat and Dr. John played Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1974: CSNY played at the Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
1975: The Rolling Stones appeared at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia.
1976: Robin Trower performed at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
1977: The Police appeared at The Red Cow, Hammersmith Road in London, admission was 60p ($1.10.)
1972: Procol Harum records 'Conquistador' (live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra).
1973: Raspberries 'Tonight' b/w 'Hard To Get Over A Heartbreak"' 45 single is released in the U.S Written by Eric Carmen, 'Tonight' reached #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. From the Raspberries 3rd album 'Side 3.'
1976: The Who's 'Slip Kid' b/w 'Dreaming From The Waist' 45 single is released.
1977: The Police performed their last concert as a four-piece at the Mont du Marsan Punk Festival in France.
1978: Aerosmith, Ted Nugent and Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush performed at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
1979: Van Halen played at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock, Arkansas.
1979: KISS played The Montreal Forum with New England opening.
1979: The Cars go platinum for the second time with their sophomore effort 'Candy-O.' The Vargas cover art doesn't hurt either.
1980: Fleetwood Mac appeared at the Hollywood Sportatorium in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
1980: Devo's 'Whip It' b/w 'Turn Around' 45 single is released. It peaked at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, #11 on the Canadian Singles Chart and #77 on the Australian Singles Chart. It is ranked #62 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s as well as #15 on the same channel's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the '80s.
1980: Pat Benatar's 2nd album 'Crimes of Passion' is released. It reached #2 during its 93 week stay on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, and features the Billboard Hot 100 singles - 'Hit Me with Your Best Shot' (#9), 'You Better Run' (#42), and 'Treat Me Right' (#18). 'Hell is for Children,' which was inspired by reading a series of articles in the New York Times about child abuse in America, was not released as an A-side single, was also a hit on album-rock stations. However, a live version of this song from her 'Live from Earth' album was released as the B-side of her 'Love Is a Battlefield' single three years later. The music video for the song 'You Better Run' was the 2nd music video ever aired on MTV in 1981.
1981: The Rolling Stones 'Start Me Up' b/w 'No Use In Crying' 45 single is released. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the UK Singles Chart.
1982: Tygers of Pan Tang releasee their album 'The Cage.' The band did a cover of the Clovers 'Love Potion #9 for the album, which featured John Sykes on guitar.
1982: Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' starring Bob Geldof opened in movie theatres in New York. The film was conceived alongside the double album by Pink Floyd's, Roger Waters. 1982, Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' starring Bob Geldof opened in movie theatres in New York. The film was conceived alongside the double album by Pink Floyd's, Roger Waters.
1983: Avant-garde musician and former backing singer with David Bowie Klaus Nomi died at the age of 39 of Aids in New York City aged 38. Nomi was one of the first celebrities to contract AIDS.
1983: Raven releasedtheir album 'All For One.' The bonus track featured a cover of Steppenwolf's 'Born To Be Wild,' with UDO on vocals.
1983: Dio released the single 'Holy Diver.' Although it only reached #40 on the Mainstream Rock Chart at that time, it went on to be one of Dio's most popular song.
1984: Ratt's 'Out Of The Cellar' was certified platinum by the RIAA.
1984: Iron Maiden released their 10th single, '2 Minutes to Midnight' The B-side was a cover of British progressive rock band Beckett's 'Rainbow's Gold.' The single peaked at #11 on UK's Offical Charts.
1985: The Mentors released their debut album, 'You Axed For It.' That year the band caught the attention of the PMRC with their song 'Golden Showers.'
1986: Judas Priest with special guest Dokken play the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, PA.
1988: 'Appetite For Destruction' Guns N' Roses debut album went to #1 in the US, after spending 57 weeks on the chart and selling over 5 million copies. Singles from the album, ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine,’ ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ and ‘Paradise City’ were all U.S. top 10 hits. Worldwide sales now stand in excess of 28 million and the album is the best-selling debut album of all-time in the US, beating Boston's debut album Boston, which has gone 17x platinum.
1988: The Traveling Wilburys (Tom Petty, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne) start a brief tour.
1989: Adam Clayton of U2 is arrested near his home in Dublin for marijuana possession and intent to supply the drug to another person. He posts bail of $710 and later his conviction is waived in exchange for paying £25,000 to the Dublin Woman’s Aid Centre.
1990: Queensrÿche released their 'Jet City Woman' single. The song was written babout Geoff Tate's first wife, who was a flight attendant.
1993: Steve Miller Band with special guests Paul Rodgers and Company performed at the Cal Expo Amphitheatre in Sacramento, CA.
1996: During a concert at an Indiana club, Motley Crue singer Vince Neil left the stage after three songs. The concert began four hours late & Neil said he wasn’t feeling well & the audience of “rednecks” didn’t appreciate his talent. Refunds weren’t offered & police were called to the scene barely able to stave off a riot of 500 ticket holders.
1996: The Ramones perform their 2,263rd and final concert at The Palace in Los Angeles with a star-studded guest list. Featuring appearances by former bassist Dee Dee Ramone along with Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, Rancid’s Tim Armstrong and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, the 32-song set wraps up with a cover of the Dave Clark Five’s 'Any Way You Want It' featuring Eddie Vedder. They never play together again. “Doing it in L.A. was ludicrous,” bassist C.J. Ramone says in Everett True’s book 'Hey Ho Let’s Go: The Story of the Ramones.' “A real slap in the face for New York.”
1996: 'She's The One' premieres. This Edward Burns and Jennifer Aniston vehicle is best remembered for the Tom Petty soundtrack.
1997: In a Spinal Tap moment, U2's giant lemon they are supposed to emerge from onstage doesn't open at a show in Oslo.
1999: Dick Latvala dies after being in a coma due to a heart attack. He was 56. Latvala was an American tape archivist for the Grateful Dead and curated the series of live performances called “Dick’s Picks”. On many Dick’s Picks album covers, the name “LATVALA” is hidden in the artwork as a tribute to his contributions to the band and their history.
2004: Bob Dylan launches a tour of minor-league ballparks across the U.S. Logically, the first show is in Cooperstown, N.Y., home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. "What we aim to do with this tour is hit the ball out of the park, touch all the bases and get home safely," says Dylan in a prepared statement.
2004: Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson filed a suit claiming he was wrongly excluded from the group's earnings. Now, band leader Dave Mustaine counter-sues claiming that Ellefson signed an agreement giving up those earnings.
2004: A KISS Expo gets busted. Federal agents raid a Charlotte, NC KISS gathering, confiscating nearly three thousand bootleg DVDs. While some fans have their merchandise taken away, no arrests are made.
2005: Carlo Little dies of lung cancer in England. He was 66. Little was the The Rolling Stones’ original drummer before they hired Charlie Watts, and is also credited with giving drum lessons to Keith Moon who begged him for help. Little was the loudest drummer many had ever seen or heard, and one of the first to hammer the bass drum.
2005: White Stripes launch their North American tour at the Gorge in George, Washington.
2006: 'Rock n' the Rally' kicks off in Sturgis, SD. Aerosmith, Sammy Hagar and Cheap Trick appear at the five day event that's held in conjunction with the city's famous annual motorcycle rally.
2007: 'The Pretender,' the first single from the Foo Fighters sixth album, 'Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace,' hits radio.
2007: Keith Richards claims he did, in fact, inhale his late father's ashes, despite earlier statements saying he was misquoted when he made the infamous revelation in an April NME interview. "What I found out is that ingesting your ancestors is a very respectable way of...y'know, he went down a treat," says the Rolling Stones guitarist. Richards also refutes part of the original quote. "The cocaine bit was rubbish. I said I chopped him up like cocaine, not with." Considering Richards doesn't so much talk as mumbles it's not surprising he was misunderstood.
2007: Velvet Revolver and Alice In Chains launch a joint North American tour in Verona, NY.
2007: Marilyn Manson’s former keyboardist sues him for $20 million dollars, claiming Manson kept millions meant to be shared. He also alleged that Manson bought items including a skeleton in a wheelchair, a handbag owned by Hitler’s girlfriend, and other Nazi paraphenalia instead of paying out profits. Stephen Bier, whose stage name is Madonna Wayne Gacy, says he, Manson and other band members signed a partnership agreement in 1993 to share profits. The suit was settled almost 2 years later with Manson paying Bier around $380,000.
2008: Metal Masters tour with Judas Priest, Heaven & Hell and Motorhead kicks off in Camden, NJ.
2008: Rage Against The Machine, Nine Inch Nails, Radiohead and Kanye West take over the Windy City as yet another Lollapalooza weekend sweeps into Chicago.
2008: 'Patti Smith: Dream Of Life' opens in New York and other cities. Shot by photographer Steven Sebring between 1996 and 2007 the film captures Smith in candid moments throughout the decade.
2009: Creed's reunion tour with their four original members kicks off in Pittsburgh. This is their first appearance since disbanding in 2002.
2010: The Lollapalooza Festival at Chicago's Grant Park gets underway. Soundgarden, Green Day, Social Distortion, Jimmy Cliff, The Strokes, Arcade Fire, Lady Gaga and Phoenix perform during the three-day event. 2010: U2 perform their first tour date since Bono's back injury and surgery two months earlier. "This band is like a family," Bono tells the sold-out stadium audience in Turin, Italy. "It's a family business, U2. I am the prodigal son. I would like to thank my brothers for their patience."
2013: Newsted release their one and only studio album, 'Heavy Metal Music.' The band is fronted by former Metallica and Flotsam & Jetsam bassist Jason Newsted, who shut down the project in early 2014.
2013: Elvis Presley's recording sessions at Stax Records in Memphis were released together for the first time. Titled 'Elvis at Stax: Deluxe Edition,' the three-CD box set also featured out-takes and rare photos from the July and December 1973 sessions, which originally produced three separate albums.
2014: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers score their first #1 album on the Billboard 200 with 'Hypnotic Eye.' It took the group a mere thirty-seven years to get to the top spot.
2015: Jon Stewart closes out his sixteen year run as the host of The Daily Show with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performing 'Land Of Hope And Dreams' and 'Born To Run.' Stewart introduces Springsteen saying "here's my moment of Zen."

August 7
1954: Johnny Cash married Vivian Liberto at St Ann's Catholic Church in Memphis. Cash had plans of becoming a Memphis appliance salesman, he instead formed a band with Luther Perkins and Marshall Grant, and was signed to Sun Records a year later.
1954: Elvis Presley appeared at the Eagles Nest in Memphis (the first of 12 shows at the venue in this year). The advertisement in the local paper read; "See and hear Elvis singing That’s All Right and The Blue Moon of Kentucky."
1954: Billboard magazine runs an article about Elvis Presley, calling him "a potent new chanter who can sock over a tune for either the Country or the R&B markets."
1954: The Crew-Cuts' cover of 'Sh-Boom' hits #1 in America.
1957: The Quarry Men played at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, (without Paul McCartney who was away at Boy Scout summer camp). The Cavern was still a jazz club, but skiffle was tolerated, but when John Lennon dared to play ‘Hound Dog’ and ‘Blue Suede Shoes,' the club owner sent a note to the stage saying, "Cut out the bloody rock!"
1963: The film, 'Beach Party' with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, opens in theaters. Music is provided by Dick Dale And The Del Tones.
1964: The Yardbirds 'I Wish You Would' b/w 'A Certain Girl' 45 single is released. 'I Wish You Would' is a song recorded by Chicago blues musician Billy Boy Arnold in 1955. It was developed while Arnold was performing with Bo Diddley and incorporates a Diddley-style rhythm. Called "a timeless Chicago blues classic", 'I Wish You Would' is Arnold's best-known song and has been recorded by several artists, including the Yardbirds, who recorded it for their debut single in 1964.
1964: Time magazine pans 'A Hard Day's Night' saying the public should "avoid this film at all costs." Later, critics call The Beatles film the best Rock n' Roll movie of all-time.
1964: The Who, The Yardbirds, The Moody Blues, The Animals, Spencer Davis, Manfred Mann and more appeared at the 4th Richmond Jazz Festival held over three days in Richmond, England.
1965: During a Chicago concert, Dave Clark 5 singer Mike Smith is pulled off the stage by excited fans and breaks two ribs.
1965: Herman’s Hermits went to #1 on the singles chart with 'I’m Henry VIII I Am.' The single was only released in the U.S.
1965: Wilson Pickett tops the Billboard R&B chart for the first time when 'In The Midnight Hour' reaches #1. The song will climb to #21 on the Pop chart, followed by 15 more hits over the next seven years.
1965: The Turtles’ remake of Bob Dylan’s 'It Ain’t Me Babe' was released. It peaked at #8 on the U.S. charts, and became the title of their first album as The Turtles.
1966: The 3rd Annual Benefit for Children's Adventure Camp took place at The Fillmore in San Francisco, CA. The bill included Quicksilver Messenger Service, Big Brother and the Holding Company, the Grateful Dead, The Grassroots and more.
1967: 'The Byrds Greatest Hits' is released. It reached #6 on the Billboard 200 Top LPs chart. In 2003, the album was ranked at #178 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The eight tracks on The Byrds' Greatest Hits that had been singles peaked at the following positions on the Billboard Hot 100: '5D (Fifth Dimension)' #44; 'All I Really Want to Do' #40; 'Mr. Spaceman' #36; 'My Back Pages' #30; 'So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star' #29; 'Eight Miles High' #14; 'Turn! Turn! Turn!' #1; and 'Mr. Tambourine Man' #1.
1967: Frank Zappa released his debut solo album, 'Lumpy Gravy.'
1967: Paul Revere & The Raiders 7h studio album, 'Revolution!' is released. It reached #25 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and features three Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100: 'Him Or Me - What's It Gonna Be?' (#5), 'I Had A Dream' (#17), and 'Ups And Downs' (#22).
1968: The Who performed at the Wollman Skating Rink Theater in New York City.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Berkeley Community Theatre in Berkeley, California.
1970: Ten Years After, Jethro Tull, Cactus, Grand Funk, Alice Cooper, The Youngbloods, and others played at the Strawberry Fields Festival, held at Mosport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada.
1970: The Goose Lake International Music Festival was held in Leoni, Michigan, with over 200,000 people attending the three day festival. Acts include Jethro Tull, James Gang, 10 Years After, Mountain, Bob Seger, Chicago, Stooges with Iggy Pop, Rod Stewart, MC5, John Sebastian, Brownsville Station and Flying Burrito Brothers. Alice Cooper & Joe Cocker were originally on the bill, but didn’t appear.
1970: Moody Blues 6th album, 'A Question of Balance' is released. It reached #3 on the Billboard 200 Top LP"s chart, and topped the UK Albums chart.
1971: Hawkwind appeared at Under The Arches in London.
1971: The Who were to have played the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut but it is canceled by the local government, due to the concert’s proximity to a planned Black Panther rally. Instead, The Who play one more night in Boston.
1971: With Flo and Eddie, formerly of The Turtles, on board, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention record 'Just Another Band From L.A.' at U.C.L.A.
1971: Bruce Springsteen performed at the Sunshine In in Asbury Park, NJ.
1971: James Taylor had the best selling single in America, according to the Cashbox chart, with the Carole King written 'You've Got A Friend.' The song reached #4 in the UK and was actually recorded simultaneously with King's version with shared musicians.
1972: Yes performed at the PNE Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada.
1973: The film adaptation of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' is released, based on the 1971 Broadway rock opera of the same name.
1974: Peter Wolf from The J Geils Band married actress Faye Dunaway in Beverly Hills the marriage ended in divorce in 1979.
1975: The Rolling Stones 'Made In The Shade' LP is certified gold.
1975: ZZ Top plays the Calderone Concert Hall in Hempstead, New York.
1976: Elton John and Kiki Dee were at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart', giving Elton his 6th U.S. #1. It was written by Elton John with Bernie Taupin under the pseudonym "Ann Orson" and "Carte Blanche."
1976: Elton headlined the annual Summerfest concert at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, New York. Supporting acts were John Miles and Boz Scaggs.
1976: The Beach Boys' cover of Chuck Berry's 'Rock And Roll Music' peaks at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their first Top 10 hit since 'Good Vibrations' in 1966. Berry's original reached #6 in the Fall of 1957.
1976: UK music weekly Melody Maker gave The Sex Pistols their first front cover.
1976: Aerosmith peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Last Child,' their 3rd top 40 hit.
1977: AC/DC played at the Hollywood Sportatorium in Pembroke Pines, Florida
1979: Chicago performed at Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
1979: At a Marshall Tucker Band show in Long Beach, CA, a disgruntled fan steals a car and drives it through two banks of metal exit doors and a concrete wall.
1980: The Allman Brothers Band headlined at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
1981: Bruce Springsteen played at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.
1981: The animated sci-fi film 'Heavy Metal' is released. Although it shares its name with the Hard-Rock genre, the film isn't intended to have anything to do with music, but instead is an anthology of various stories from the comic magazine Heavy Metal. Almost as an afterthought, an all-star soundtrack is added, featuring songs by Black Sabbath, Sammy Hagar, Blue Öyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Journey, Don Felder, Stevie Nicks, Nazareth, Donald Fagen, Grand Funk Railroad, Devo and more. While the film does only mediocre at the box office and is reviewed by critics as being deeply flawed, it becomes a cult classic for many years based mostly on its soundtrack.
1981: Motörhead drummer Phil “Philty Animal” Taylor is fined $90 for marijuana possession and for not showing up for the initial date of his trial in April.
1982: Metallica with Stryper, then known as Roxx Regime, played at The Long Beach Bruin Den in Long Beach, CA.
1982: Michael McDonald's 'I Keep Forgettin' b/w 'Losin' End' 45 single is released. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Pop Singles charts, and #7 on the Billboard R&B chart. Greg Phillinganes, Steve Lukather and Jeff Porcaro of the band Toto played the clavinet, guitar and drums respectively. Noted bassist Louis Johnson laid down the song's pronounced bassline.
1982: Fleetwood Mac starts a five week run at #1 with their album 'Mirage.' It's the band's 3rd #1 album.
1982: The Grateful Dead play the first of two nights at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
1982: John Cougar (Mellencamp) peaks at #2 on the U.S. chart with the million selling 'Hurts So Good.' It's kept out of the top spot by the Human League's 'Don't You Want Me.'
1982: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes Frank Zappa’s 'Valley Girl' at #48, The Rolling Stones’ 'Going To A Go Go' #41, Journey’s 'Still They Ride' #39, Billy Idol’s 'Hot In The City' #36, Men At Work’s 'Who Can It Be Now' #27, John Cougar’s 'Hurts So Good' #2, and Survivor’s 'Eye Of The Tiger' at #1.‬
1983: Black Sabbath release their 11th studio album 'Born Again.' It is the only Black Sabbath album with former Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan as front man. The album was released to mixed reviews but has become a favorite over time for metal musicians and fans. Even Ozzy Osbourne gave it the thumbs up. It reached #4 on the UK Official Charts.
1987: An L.A. judge throws out a lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne filed by the parents of a teenager who committed suicide while listening to the song 'Suicide Solution.'
1990: Jon Bon Jovi released his 1st solo album, 'Blaze of Glory.' It features RATT guitarist Robbin Crosby & Aldo Nova.
1990: Extreme released their 2nd album 'Extreme II: Pornograffitti.' It reached #10 on the Billboard Chart, with the single 'More Than Words' reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1990: Poison's debut album, 'Look What The Cat Dragged In,' is declared triple platinum four years after its initial release.
1991: Canadian melodic rockers Harem Scarem release their self-titled debut album.
1991: Charges of assault and property damage are filed against Guns N' Roses lead singer Axl Rose in connection with a riot during a July 2nd show in St. Louis.
1991: Yes release the four CD collection, 'Yesyears.' It includes rare and previously unreleased material.
1993: Radiohead's 'Pablo Honey' reaches #32 on the U.S. album chart.
1996: A federal appeals court overturns the ruling that original Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers members Jimmy Merchant and Herman Santiago co-wrote the group's biggest hit, 1955's 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love?,' ruling that copyright claims must be filed within three years of the song's publication.
2000: The family of Jimi Hendrix won a case at an international panel to evict the holder of the Internet address www.jimihendrix.com.
2001: Tony MacAlpine released his 10th studio album, 'Chromaticity.'
2001: Harmonica player Larry Adler died aged 87. Known for his original collaborations with George Gershwin, Kate Bush, Sting and Vaughan Williams and his own virtuoso performances.
2002: Yes were given a day in their honor in the city of Philadelphia.
2002: Three members of Oasis were injured when the taxi they were travelling in was involved in a crash during a U/S. tour in Indianapolis. Noel Gallagher, Andy Bell and Jay Darlington were all taken to hospital and treated for cuts and bruises.
2006: 'Gene Simmons Family Jewels' premieres on the A&E Network. The show runs for seven successful seasons and features Simmons, his longtime partner Shannon Tweed, and their two kids Nick and Sophie.
2006: Evanescence's 'Call Me When You're Sober' clip debuts on MTV. Singer Amy Lee plays a modernized Little Red Riding Hood in the company of live wolves. The track is about her relationship with ex-boyfriend, Shaun Morgan (Seether). The song is the first single from 'The Open Door.'
2007: Fuel releases 'Angels And Devils.' This is the group's first disc with singer Toryn Green (replacing Brett Scallions) and it contains the single 'Wasted Time.'
2007: Godsmack headlines the third night of the Rock n' The Rally music festival in Sturgis, SD.
2008: It's announced that bassist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskitt have left Wolfmother after "longstanding frictions within the group." Frontman Andrew Stockdale plans recruit new musicians to continue on as Wolfmother. Ross and Heskitt say they will work together on another project.
2008: Elvis Presley's peacock jumpsuit sold for $300,00, making it the most expensive Elvis item sold at auction. The white outfit with a plunging V-neck and high collar featured a blue-and-gold peacock design, hand-embroidered on the front and back and along the pant legs.
2008: The Police tape an appearance on the Sundance Channel's Elvis Costello With... in New York. The group performs with Costello as the quartet rolls through songs by Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Then the Police play the final show of their reunion tour at Madison Square Garden. Tickets to the show are made available in pairs to those who contribute at least $150 during a public-television pledge drive.
2008: The Police wrap up their reunion tour at New York's Madison Square Garden. Their first tour since 1986, it lasts 151 shows and finishes as the third highest-grossing of all time.
2008: Elvis Presley's favorite stage attire (he really hated that gold suit from the '50s), the so-called 'peacock jumpsuit,' is sold at an auction for $300,000. Presley bought the rhinestone embroidered outfit for $10,000.
2009: The three-day Lollapalooza, with headliners Jane's Addiction, Tool, The Killers, Kings Of Leon and Lou Reed kicks off in Chicago. Lollapalooza raises money for Chicago's Parkways, which aids the city's park system and local initiatives.
2010: A Salvador Dali exhibition at Atlanta's High Museum of Art features the First Cylindric Crono-Hologram Portrait of Alice Cooper's Brain. The artwork, produced in '73, the year Dali met Cooper, shows Alice in a 3-D hologram sitting cross-legged in a cylinder holding a statuette of Venus De Milo.
2011: Cuba's first Beatles Club, named Yellow Submarine (Submarino Amarillo), opens in Havana. For decades Beatles music was banned in Cuba.
2011: Thirty-two years after Musicians United for Safe Energy (MUSE) presented the first No Nukes concerts at Madison Square Garden, many of the original performers; Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt, Tom Morello, Jason Mraz and morehold a No Nukes event in Mountain View, CA, in response to the nuclear disasters in Japan, "The goal is to raise money so we can fund all the anti-nuclear power groups who have been working so long and so hard for sanity," says Graham Nash. Proceeds go to MUSE to support disaster relief efforts.
2011: Marshall Grant (upright bassist for the Tennessee Two, Johnny Cash's backing band) dies of an aneurysm at age 83 in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Grant was with Cash from '54 through '80, and along with guitarist Luther Perkins, he established the distinctive rhythms for Cash classics.
2013: Panic At The Disco's drummer Spencer Smith announces that he will not be joining the band on tour in order to work on his sobriety, leaving singer Brendon Urie as the only remaining founding member.
2013: The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in California rules in favor of Green Day regarding the band's use of illustrator Dereck Seltzer's 'Scream Icon,' in the 2009 video 'East Jesus Nowhere.' Circuit Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain calls it a "close and difficult case." Despite the ruling, Green Day still gets stuck with over $200,000 in legal fees.
2013: The Five Finger Death Punch album, 'The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell: Volume 1' debuts at #2 on the Billboard 200 (behind Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines'). It sells 112,000 copies in its first week of release.
2013: The Rolling Stones score their 50th Billboard 200 chart entry with 'Hyde Park Live.' The set, culled from their live London shows, debuts at #19. It also marks the Stones' 45th Top 40 chart entry.
2014: Billy Joel sang 'Uptown Girl' to his ex-wife Christie Brinkley at New York City's Madison Square Garden. Joel wrote the song for Brinkley and enjoyed a U.S. #3 with it in 1983.
2015: Fear Factory release their album 'Genexus.'
2015: Aerosmith perform at the inaugural Concert for Legends at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, OH. They bring the Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders, in town for the Hall of Fame Game, onstage for a rendition of 'Walk This Way.' It's part of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend.
2015: Evanescence guitarist Terry Balsamo is replaced by Jen Majura. "After two albums, countless adventures around the world and on the stage, Terry's time has come to an end," states frontwoman Amy Lee. She goes on to describe Majura as the "missing piece."
2017: Arcade Fire’s 'Everything Now' is #1 on the Billboard 200. It sells over 100,000 copies during its debut week.
2017: It’s the fifth annual "Metallica Night" at AT&T Park in San Francisco as the Giants take the field against the world-champion Chicago Cubs. Metallica are on hand for the National Anthem and first pitch.

August 8
1953: Les Paul and Mary Ford's 'Vaya Con Dios (May God Be With You)' hits #1.
1960: Chubby Checker performed 'The Twist' on TV for the first time on ABC's 'Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show.'
1963: The Beatles arrived in Guernsey in The Channel Islands, where they played two shows at Candie Gardens. They arrived in a 12-seater plane after making the 30 mile trip from Jersey, (their equipment was sent over by ferry). The Beatles would receive the sum of £1000 (approx.$1,600) for the two shows.
1964: The Animals released 'House of the Rising Sun.' Although the band would put 14 songs in the Top 40, this will be their only U.S. #1. It was reported that the song was recorded in just one take and the band was actually in the studio for less than ten minutes.
1964: 'England's Newest Hit Makers: The Rolling Stones' peaks at #11 on the U.S. album chart. The group's U.S. debut contains a cover of Buddy Holly's 'Not A Fade Away.'
1964: A single by The Young World Singers called 'Ringo For President' was released in the U.S. Ringo Starr comments: "I don't believe I will have the time." Such was The Beatles drummer appeal that fans launched a “Ringo for President” campaign in the midst of the Johnson/Goldwater race. A well-organized contingent, most of whose members were below the voting age of 21, banded together to enter the drummer as a third-party write-in candidate for Commander in Chief.
1964: Bob Dylan's 4th studio album, 'Another Side of Bob Dylan' is released. It reached #43 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
1966: The Who's 'The Kids Are Alright' b/w 'The Ox' 45 single is released in the UK. It appears as the 7th track on the group's first album 'My Generation' (1965). It was not released as a single until more than six months after it first appeared on the LP, first in the United States, and in the UK the following month. While not a huge hit at the time (reaching #41 in the UK and #85 in the US), the song, along with the album's title track, became anthems for the group and the Mod subculture of England in the 1960's.
1966: South Africa banned Beatles records as a reaction to John Lennon’s remark that the band was “more popular than Jesus.”
1966: The Beatles 12th U.S. album, 'Revolver' was released. It featured: ‘Taxman,' ‘Eleanor Rigby,' ‘I'm Only Sleeping,' ‘Here, There and Everywhere,' ‘She Said She Said,' ‘And Your Bird Can Sing’ and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows.' It spent 77 weeks on the Billboard chart peaking at #1 for 6 weeks.
1966: The Beatles 'Yellow Submarine' b/w 'Eleanor Rigby' 45 single is released. The single went to #1 on every major British chart, remained at #1 for four weeks and charted for 13 weeks. It won an Ivor Novello Award for the highest certified sales of any single issued in the UK in 1966. It became the title song of the 1968 animated United Artists film, also called 'Yellow Submarine,' and the soundtrack album to the film, released as part of The Beatles' music catalog.
1966: The Yardbirds released their LP 'Over, Under, Sideways Down.' The album had been released as 'The Yardbirds' (better know as 'Roger The Engineer') in the UK. The original American versions of this album had a completely different album cover and name as the song 'Over Under Sideways Down' was already a hit in the states.
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience played the last night of a five night run at the Salvation Club in New York City.
1968: The Band's 'The Weight' b/w 'I Shall Be Released' 45 single was released. It is listed as #41 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published in 2004. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
1969: The Beatles held their photo session for the 'Abbey Road' LP cover in front of the Abbey Road studios. Photographer Iain McMillan, balanced on a step-ladder in the middle of the road took six shots of John, Ringo, Paul, and George walking across the zebra crossing while a policeman held up the traffic. The photo, which merely shows the band crossing the street while walking away from the studio, has become iconic in its own right and provides "Paul Is Dead" enthusiasts with several erroneous "clues" to his "death," including the fact that Paul is barefoot. (Supposedly this represents a corpse, but McCartney has stated that it was simply a hot day.) The shoot, which lasts ten minutes, produces six shots, from which Paul picks the cover. The band then returned to the studio and recorded overdubs on ‘The End,' ‘I Want You (She's So Heavy)’ and ‘Oh! Darling.'
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California, supported by Jethro Tull.
1969: Yes played at Mother’s in Birmingham, England.
1969: Alice Cooper performed at the Eastown Theater in Detroit, Michigan.
1969: Pink Floyd appeared on the first of three days at the 9th National Jazz Pop Ballads & Blues Festival at the Plumpton Race Track in Streat, England. The Who, Roy Harper, Soft Machine, Keith Tippett, East of Eden, the Bonzo Dog Band and many others werealso on the bill.
1970: Janis Joplin bought a headstone for her heroine Bessie Smith’s unmarked grave in Philadelphia. Smith died in 1937 after being refused admission to a whites only hospital.
1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival releases the 'Lookin' Out My Back Door' single.
1970: Christine McVie plays her first gig with Fleetwood Mac at a show in New Orleans. The band's first female member, she played on some of their albums before she was asked to join full-time.
1970: Canadian immigration officials turn back thousands of American fans on their way to the Strawberry Fields Rock Festival in Mosport, Ontario, on the grounds that they "failed to produce adequate monies to support themselves." 8,000 Americans made it there.
1970: The 'Blood Sweat & Tears 3' album started a two week run at #1.
1971: Hawkwind appeared at the Red Lion in London.
1971: Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper and Edgar Winter played Cincinnati Gardens in Cincinnati, Ohio.
1972: Yes performed at the Paramount Theater in Seattle, Washington.
1974: Eric Clapton's '461 Ocean Boulevard' LP is certified gold.
1974: Recording sessions for David Bowie album 'Young Americans' begins at Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios.
1974: Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young played at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, New Jersey.
1975: The lineup at this year’s Summerfest at Rich Stadium in Buffalo, New York was The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, and The Outlaws.
1975: Bruce Springsteen played the Akron Civic Theatre in Akron, Ohio.
1976: Epic Records released Boston’s self-titled first album. The album became the fastest-selling debut ever.
1977: Alice Cooper played at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
1978: Neil Diamond appeared at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan.
1979: KISS played the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York.
1980: Twisted Sister record their first live show for WBAB radio at Hammerheads in Long Island.
1980: The Plasmatics suffered a blow in London when local authorities told them they couldn’t blow up a car onstage at the Hammersmith Odeon.
1980: The Allman Brothers Band performed at Mesa Auditorium in Phoenix, Arizona.
1980: David Bowie's 'Ashes To Ashes' b/w 'It's No Game (Part 1)' 45 single is released. It hit #1 in the UK and was the first cut from the 'Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)' album, also a #1 hit. As well as its musical qualities, it is noted for its innovative video, directed by Bowie and David Mallet. The lyrics revisit Bowie's Major Tom character from 1969's 'Space Oddity,' which he referenced once again in 1995 with "Hallo Spaceboy".
1981: MTV made its first live concert stereo broadcast, presenting REO Speedwagon in Denver.
1981: The Pretenders kick off their 2nd American tour in Fort Pierce, Florida.
1981: ZZ Top played at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Nebraska.
1981: The Allman Brothers Band appeared at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
1982: The Grateful Dead are joined onstage by John Cippolina, founding member of Quicksilver Messenger Service, for the final six songs of the second set of their show at Alpine Valley Music Theatre.
1983: Metallica released their 1st single, 'Whiplash.'
1983: The Police performed at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1985: Raven with special guests Anthrax play The Ritz in New York City.
1985: Keith Richards guest stared on Phantom, Rocker & Slick’s 'My Mistake.' He accepted a leopard-skin coat as payment.
1986: David Crosby was released from prison, having served 8 months of his original 5 year sentence for possession of drugs and firearms.
1987: KISS filed the 'Crazy, Crazy Nights' video at Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.
1987: U2 scored their 2nd U.S. #1 single from their 'Joshua Tree' album with 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.' The song received two nominations for the 30th Grammy Awards in 1988, for Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
1987: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts by Yello’s 'Oh Yeah' at #88. Whitesnake’s ''Here I Go Again' was #34, Sammy Hagar’s Give To Live' #32, Bryan Adams’ 'Hearts On Fire' #26, Mötley Crüe’s ''''Girls Girls Girls #24, Bob Seger’s Shakedown #3, and U2’s 'I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For' was #1
1988: Marty Friedman released his debut album 'Dragon's Kiss.'
1991: Rock organist Billy Preston, known for 'Nothing From Nothing,' was charged with exhibiting pornography to a minor.
1991: On A Friday, later to become known as Radiohead, appeared at The Jericho Tavern, Oxford, England. The band had met while attending Abingdon School, a boys-only public school. “On a Friday” referred to the band’s usual rehearsal day in the school’s music room.
1992: In Montreal, an onstage explosion injured Metallica lead singer James Hetfield, leading the band to call off their portion of the show. Guns N’ Roses hit the stage next and also cut their set short after 15 minutes because of Axl Rose’s voice problems. In turn, the Canadian fans rioted, overturning cars, smashing windows, looting local stores and setting fires.
1995: The Presidents Of The United States Of America release 'Lump.' The track goes to #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.
1996: KISS appeared at the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, Ohio on their 192 date Alive World Tour. During this show a fan threw his fake leg on stage, which all the members signed and handed back to him.
1999: The Guess Who reunited with Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings for the first time in 16 years to appear at the closing of the Pan American Games in Winnipeg as a personal request from the Premier of Manitoba.
2000: Halford release their debut album, 'Resurrection.' It includes the duet with Bruce Dickinson, 'The One You Love To Hate.'
2000: Scorpions with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra release the album 'Moment of Glory.'
2000: A class action lawsuit is filed against the major record labels, claiming that they kept CD prices high by punishing retailers who sold the discs for less than their "minimum advertised price." The case was eventually settled for $143 million, with 3.48 million claimants who bought CDs between January 1, 1995 and December 22, 2000 receiving checks for $13.86.
2000: The first gathering of the Juggalos takes place in Novi, Michigan at the Expo Center. This becomes an annual event for cult fans of the Horror-Rap group Insane Clown Posse. While the first event only lasted two days and was basically an extended concert, the event has transformed over the years into a full-on festival with concerts by many bands and artists, contests, games, wrestling, and other attractions - sort of a Lollapalooza for the Underground/Indie Rap/Hip-Hop genre. The annual tradition has now settled on Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, as their permanent location, and attracts as many as 20,000 attendees every year.
2002: 3 Doors Down bassist Todd Harrell was cleared of assault charges stemming from a fight at a party. Terry Alexander claimed Harrell knocked out seven of his teeth after he discovered he was being secretly taped. Alexander claimed he needed to tape his conversations because of his fading memory.
2004: The Dave Matthews Band tour bus dumps its sewage into an Illinois river from the Kinzie Street bridge, with an unfortunate group of tourists are doused with the waste, which hits their tour boat. The band was not on the bus, and their driver denied it until he was confronted with surveillance video.
2005: Nine Inch Nails begin auctioning off premium tickets for 19 stops on their North American tour. The effort is designed to thwart scalpers. A portion of the sale's proceeds are donated to Innocence Project, a nonprofit legal-justice group. "If we can redirect some of the unauthorized margin to a good cause we've done something worthwhile," says frontman Trent Reznor.
2006: Breaking Benjamin release their 3rd album, 'Phobia.' "The goal was to make a solid, mature and cohesive record, not just a few singles and filler," says bassist Mark James. The album is the follow-up to '04s platinum-certified 'We Are Not Alone.'
2006: 3 Doors Down donate $100,000 for Hurricane Katrina relief. Guitarist Matt Roberts presents a $25,000 check to his old school in Pascagoula, MS, while guitarist Chris Henderson gives the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance organization $75,000 for its work in Gautier, MS. "I ride by here every day I'm home, and this is my community, and it's incredible the work they've been doing for our local folks and communities," says Henderson.
2006: Dennis DeYoung formerly of Styx & Roger Hodgson formerly of Supertramp served as mentors on 'Canadian Idol' where they also performed.
2007: KoRn's untitled album is #2 on the Billboard 200 ('NOW 25 - Various Artists' is #1). The disc sells 123,000 units in its first week of release. This is KoRn's 7th Top 10 album.
2007: The U.S. National Musical Publishers’ Association joined other businesses in seeking to sue YouTube claiming songwriters were not being properly compensated when their music appeared on the site. The legal action had been combined with those of several other companies, including Viacom and Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and Comedy Central.
2008: Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd launch 'The Rock and Rebels' joint North American tour in Oklahoma City.
2008: It's the first day of the American Eagle Outfitters inaugural New American Music Festival in Pittsburgh. Red Hot Chili Peppers' Anthony Kiedis curates and hosts the two-day event that is billed as "the most Rocking block party of the summer" with performances by the Raconteurs and Bob Dylan. "My experience tells me that concerts can be life changing," explains Kiedis. "That is how I approached putting this lineup together."
2008: The stoner comedy 'Pineapple Express' opens in theaters. The film's title song is sung by Huey Lewis.
2009: Pearl Jam launches a world tour in support of their 'Backspacer' album at the Alberta edition of the Virgin Festival '09. They headline the two-day event.
2010: John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman, had his parole hearing delayed until early September so that officials could gather additional information. The 55-year-old Chapman became eligible for parole in 2000 after serving 20 years, but he has been denied his freedom five times.
2010: Ted Kowalski, a member of the Canadian quartet The Diamonds, died of heart disease at the age of 79. The vocal group had a string of hits in the late 1950s including 'Little Darlin', 'Silhouettes' and 'The Stroll.'
2010: High winds, torrential rain, and hail from a five minute freak thunderstorm nearly derails Iron Maiden�s appearance at Finland's Sonisphere Festival. 40 people are injured by the storm which destroys Maiden's stage equipment and tour plane. The band is able to use gear provided by Slayer. "We're not going home until you go home," says frontman Bruce Dickinson. "We were p**sed on by the gods and we p**sed on the gods right back. For those of you that have Rocked we f**king salute you."
2012: Elton John launched a lawsuit against UK newspaper The Times for allegedly defaming him by implicating him in a tax avoidance scheme.
2012: The members of Motley Crue and KISS announced that they would donate $100,000 to support those affected by the Aurora, Colorado movie theater shootings where 12 people were killed and 58 were injured. "The terror these innocent victims of the Aurora massacre must have experienced and the profound loss their families now face is unimaginable," states KISS frontman Paul Stanley. "We hope that our small gesture helps inspire others to band together in compassion and financial support for all involved in this unspeakable tragedy."
2014: Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready performs the national anthem at the Seattle Mariners home game against the Chicago White Sox at Safeco Field. It's good luck. The home team wins 4-1.
2016: Five Finger Death Punch’s sixth album, 'Got Your Six' is officially certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales in excess of 500,000 copies.
2016: Judge R. Gary Klausner denied Led Zeppelin's efforts to recoup roughly $800,000 in legal fees incurred during the recent trial to determine whether the band plagiarized a "Stairway to Heaven" chord progression. The Judge ruled that the plaintiffs didn't have "nefarious motives" and therefore shouldn't be on the hook for Zeppelin's legal fees.
2017: Slayer, Lamb Of God & Behemoth play the Vina Robles Amphitheatre in Paso Robles, CA.
2017: Stone Sour singer Corey Taylor publishes "America 51: A Probe Into The Realities That Are Hiding Inside The Greatest Country In The World." The book deals with "just how batshit crazy my country is right now, in good ways and in bad ways," says Taylor.
2017: Gibson Brands, known primarily for their guitars, names Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash as their Global Brand Ambassador, the first such designation in the company's history.
2017: England's Natural History Museum announces that a giant prehistoric crocodile has been named after late Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister. Lemmysuchus obtusidens lived during the Middle Jurassic Period.
2017: Glen Campbell dies in Nashville, TN of complications of Alzheimer’s disease. He was 81. In his early years, Campbell worked with many artists, including The Monkees, Elvis Presley and The Beach Boys. He sold over 45 million albums in his career and brought national attention to Alzheimer’s disease during his final tour, which was documented in the 2014 film, 'Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me.' Campbell has also been lauded as an incredible guitarist, lauded by everyone from Alice Cooper to Paul McCartney.

August 9
1963: The first ever edition of 'Ready Steady Go! was shown on UK TV. Introduced by Keith Fordyce and 19 year-old Cathy McGowan. The first show featured The Searchers, Jet Harris, Pat Boone, Billy Fury and Brian Poole and The Tremeloes. The final show was in Dec. of 1966 after 175 episodes. Originally 30 minutes long, it expanded to 50 minutes the following year, and soon attracted the most popular artists, including The Beatles, The Lovin' Spoonful, The Rolling Stones, The Four Tops, The Kinks and many more.
1964: The Rolling Stones appeared at the New Elizabeth Ballroom in Belle Vue, Manchester England. Two policemen fainted and another suffered broken ribs after trying to control over 3,000 fans.
1964: Bob Dylan and Joan Baez share the stage for the first time, singing 'With God On Our Side' at the Newport Folk Festival in Newport, Rhode Island.
1965: A British quartet called The Silkie record a Lennon/McCartney tune called 'You've Got To Hide Your Love Away,' on which John Lennon was the producer, Paul McCartney played guitar and George Harrison kept time on a tambourine. The song would reach #28 in the UK and #10 in the U.S., but their only chance to tour America evaporated when band members were unable to obtain the necessary visas and work permits.
1967: The Small Faces entered the singles chart with 'Itchycoo Park.' The song, written by Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane, was released on August 4, and peaked at #3 in the UK and at #16 in the U.S. the following year. The song was one of the first pop singles to use flanging, an effect that can be heard in the bridge section after each chorus. Most sources credit the use of the effect to Olympic Studios engineer George Chkiantz who showed it to the Small Faces regular engineer Glyn Johns.
1967: Scott McKenzie was at #1 on the Record Retailer UK singles chart with 'San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Some Flowers In Your Hair.)' The singer’s only UK Top 40 charting hit was written by John Philips of Mamas & Papas.
1967: At England's 8th National Jazz and Blues Festival in Sunberry, Jerry Lee Lewis is kicked off the stage after the overenthusiastic crowd responds to his set with a near-riot.
1968: Deep Purple, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Ten Years After, The Nice, Ginger Baker, Traffic, John Mayall, Spencer Davis, Taste, Jerry Lee Lwis and Arthur Brown all appeared at the 3 day National Jazz & Blues Festival at Kempton Park Racecourse, Sunbury On Thames, England. Jerry Lee kills returns for a 2nd year in a row and the audience is so revved up that the next act (The Herd) refuses to go on. The festival was the precursor to the Reading Rock Festival and was the created by Harold Pendleton, the manager of the prestigious Marquee Club in Soho.
1968: Janis Joplin performs at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri.
1968: Pink Floyd played the first of three nights at Eagles Auditorium in Seattle, Washington. They were supported by Blue Cheer, with lights by the Retinea Circus Light Company.
1968: After the other Beatles had gone home for the evening (2:00 am), Paul McCartney stayed behind and recorded 'Mother Nature's Son', taping 25 takes at Abbey Road studios. The song was included on the 'White Album.'
1969: Led Zeppelin performed at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California with Jethro Tull as the opener.
1970: New Musical Express prints Roger’s rebuttal to Pete’s remarks in his interview of May 31st. Roger doesn’t hold back: “I never read such a load of bullshit in all my life.” He also adds that Pete, “talked himself up his own ass.” To Pete’s charge that Roger thought rock ‘n roll was just “making records, pulling birds, getting pissed and having a good time,” Roger counters that the last few bad gigs The Who had done was because Pete, John and Keith had been “…out boozing and balling all night and by the time it got to the show at night they were physically incapable of doing a good show.” The interview later appears in Creem magazine in the U.S.
1970: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Drive-In Theater in Collinsville, Virginia. About 200 fans were in attendance on a rainy night.
1971: King Crimson performed at the Marquee Club in London.
1971: The Who play the War Memorial Auditorium in Rochester, New York.
1973: Guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Seiwell left Wings.
1974: Four members of the Jazz-Rock group Chase, who'd scored a hit three years earlier with 'Get It On,' are killed in a plane crash near Jackson, Minnesota, including leader Bill Chase.
1975: Promoter Don Kirshner held the first 'Rock Music Award Show' in Santa Monica, California. Big winners included The Eagles, Bad Company and Stevie Wonder. Elton John and Diana Ross are the hosts.
1976: Aerosmith appeared at the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
1976: Grand Funk Railroad﻿'s 'Good Singin' Good Playin' album is released. The Frank Zappa produced LP reached #52 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. Soon after, Grand Funk Railroad folded.
1977: Bachman-Turner Overdrive called it quits. Their biggest hit was the 1974 #1 'You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.'
1978: Muddy Waters performed for President Jimmy Carter at the White House.
1978: Bruce Springsteen played the Agora Theater in Cleveland on his Darkness tour. A well known show, and bootlegged extensively.
1980: A thief stole ten Gerald Scarfe illustrations based on Pink Floyd’s 'The Wall' album. The pictures were exhibited in the foyer of Earls Court, where the band was performing five shows.
1980: AC/DC scored their first #1 album in the UK with 'Back In Black.' The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart in the U.S. It was the first AC/DC album recorded without former lead singer Bon Scott, who died on February 19, 1980 at the age of 33, and was dedicated to him. Scott, passed out after a night of heavy drinking in a London and was left to sleep in a car owned by an acquaintance. The album has sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide to date, making it the second highest selling album of all time, and the best selling hard rock or heavy metal album, as well as the best selling album ever released by a band.
1982: George Thorogood & the Destroyers released their 5th studio album, 'Bad to the Bone.' It reached #43 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums Chart.
1982: Survivor's 'Eye Of The Tiger' goes gold. The song is the theme for the 'Rocky III' film.
1983: Armored Saint release their self-titled first EP on Metal Blade Records. The opening track 'Lesson Well Learned' was previously on Metal Blade's compilation 'Metal Massacre II' in 1982.
1983: Billy Joel's 9th album, 'An Innocent Man' is released. It reached #4 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart and was nominated for an Album of the Year Grammy in 1984. It featured three Billboard Top 10 hit singles: 'Tell Her About It' (#1), 'Uptown Girl' (#3), and 'An Innocent Man' (#10). The single 'Uptown Girl,' was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance - Male Grammy the same year.This album is Joel's tribute to the music of his childhood. He considers this a "singer 's album," and pays homage to a number of different musical styles, most notably doo-wop, a style made popular in the mid-1950s and emulated in the songs 'The Longest Time,' 'This Night,' and 'Careless Talk.'
1986: Motorhead release their 7th studio album, 'Orgasmatron.' It's the only full Motorhead album to feature Pete Gill on drums.
1986: Ratt release their 3rd studio album 'Dancing Undercover.' The album was produced by Beau Hill and features their hit 'Dance,' which also appeared in the 'Miami Vice' episode 'Down For The Count.'
1986: Queen ended their Magic European tour at Knebworth Park in Stevenage, England, with over 120,000 fans witnessing what would be Queen's last ever live performance. On this, their final tour, Queen played to legions of established fans, plus many new ones gained as a result of their show-stealing performance at Live Aid the previous year. The support acts were Belouis Some, Big Country and Status Quo.
1988: Europe release their 4th studio album, 'Out of This World.'
1989: W.A.S.P., Accept and Metal Church play the Celebrity Theatre in Anaheim, CA.
1994: Machine Head released their debut studio album, 'Burn My Eyes.' It was their only album with drummer Chris Kontos.
1994: Peter Gabriel made an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman' as the featured musical guest.
1994: During an Oasis gig at The Riverside in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, guitarist Noel Gallagher was hit in the face by a man who had jumped on the stage. Noel refused to carry on playing and after leaving the stage a mob of over 300 people attacked the bands bus as they were leaving.
1994: Lynyrd Skynyrd releases their 8th album 'Endangered Species.'
1995: Jerry Garcia died of a heart attack at the Serenity Knolls drug rehabilitation facility in California. The Grateful Dead guitarist was 53. Garcia co-founded the New Riders of the Purple Sage and also released several solo albums. He was ranked 13th in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Guitarist's of All Time."
1995: The original members of KISS play together for the first time since 1980 when Peter Criss and Ace Frehley join the current band to record their MTV Unplugged special, which is later released as the album 'Kiss Unplugged.' Not counting Ace Frehley's 1976 wedding, it also marks the only time the original members performed without makeup. The appearance goes over so well that Criss and Frehley rejoin the band in 1996, replacing Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer. The subsequent tour becomes the top grossing tour that year.
1999: New Line Cinema holds a premiere party in Los Angeles for the 'Detroit Rock City' movie. KISS perform four songs.‬
2002: Paul Samson (born Paul Sanson), founder and guitarist of the group Samson, dies of cancer in Norwich, England. He was 49. Both Clive Burr and Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden were members of the group, although not at the same time. The band disbanded in 1984, but would reform occasionally.
2003: The Who’s Roger Daltrey made his L.A. stage debut at The Hollywood Bowl playing Dr. Doolittle in 'My Fair Lady.'
2004: England's Classic Rock magazine names AC/DC's Bon Scott the #1 frontman of all time. Scott, who died of a barbiturates and alcohol overdose in 1980, beat out Ozzy Osbourne, Freddie Mercury and Jim Morrison.
2004: Eric Clapton is inducted into Rockwalk at The Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard during a private ceremony. Rockwalk was established in 1985 to honor musicians who have made a significant musical contribution.
2004: The Who's concert film 'Live at the Isle of Wight (8/30/70)' plays in select movie theaters. The theatrical release includes an interview with Pete Townshend and an introduction by the director Murray Lerner.
2005: Marc Cohn survived being shot in the head during an attempted car jacking as he left a concert in Denver, Colorado. Cohn was struck in the temple by the bullet but it did not penetrate his skull. Police said a man tried to commandeer Cohn's tour van as it left after a show, the attacker was fleeing police after trying to pay a hotel bill with a stolen credit card.
2005: Staind release 'Chapter V,' which becomes their 3rd straight studio album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200. More than 10,000 people turn out at Boston's City Hall Plaza to catch a free 75-minute concert celebrating the album's release.
2005: Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee releases his 3rd solo album, 'Tommyland: The Ride.'
2005: A Queen tribute album, 'Killer Queen' is released. It includes tracks by Queens Of The Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, Shinedown and Sum 41.
2005: Nickelback release 'Photograph,' the first single from their album 'All The Right Reasons.' Inspired by a drunken snapshot, the song is about Chad Kroeger's memories of growing up in a small town in Alberta.
2005: MTV 2 airs 'Green Day Makes a Video.' The video is 'Wake Me Up When September Ends.'
2005: Godsmack contributes 'Bring It On' to the EA Sports video game Madden NFL 06. Tracks by Disturbed and Foo Fighters are also heard in the game.
2006: The James Gang embark on their first tour in 35 years. All three members of the group's definitive lineup are present: singer-guitarist Joe Walsh, drummer Jimmy Fox and bassist Dale Peters. The first stop in Morrison, CO.
2007: Baltimore's mayor Sheila Dixon proclaimed today as the city's official 'Frank Zappa Day' citing Zappa's musical accomplishments as well as his defense of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
2007: As the first Phil Spector/Lana Clarkson murder trial winds down, the legal teams visit the producer's Alhambra mansion in California to take a look at the scene of the crime.
2007: Amy Winehouse cancelled a series of European shows after being admitted to hospital suffering from “severe exhaustion.” The 23-year-old singer was taken to University College London Hospital and later discharged.
2007: Beastie Boys play their first-ever gig in Brooklyn. "When we came up none of the clubs (were) really in Brooklyn," says Mike D. "My theory is that they didn't really want to have Hip-Hop functions because they figured it would just end badly."
2008: Ozzfest is a single day concert(rather than a traveling riot) in Dallas. Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica are the headliners. Sevendust is a second-stage act while Drowning Pool and local bands hold down the third stage. During the festival there's a tribute to late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott. Abbott's brother, Hellyeah/Pantera/Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul is the performance's musical director.
2008: Ozzfest is a single day in Dallas. Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica are the headliners. Sevendust is a 2nd stage act while Drowning Pool and local bands hold down the 3rd stage. During the festival there's a tribute to late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott. Abbott's brother, Hellyeah/Pantera/Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul is the performance's musical director.
2009: Them Crooked Vultures, a supergroup featuring Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme give their debut performance at the sold-out Metro club in Chicago. They perform a 12-song, 80-minute set.
2010: To mark the 15th anniversary of Jerry Garcia's death, former Grateful Dead bandmates Bob Weir and Phil Lesh sing the National Anthem prior to the San Francisco Giants game against the Chicago Cubs. Garcia's daughter Annabelle throws out the ceremonial first pitch. There's even a Jerry Garcia bobblehead giveaway. The Giants beat the Cubs 4-3.
2013: 'Metallica Through The Never' is in theaters. The 3D film, written and directed by Nimrod Antal, was filmed in Vancouver. "Metallica's way of doing things is to jump into unexplored creative endeavors with no safety net whatsoever," says Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich.
2014: Kings Of Leon drummer Nathan Followill is injured in Boston when the band's tour bus stops abruptly to avoid hitting a pedestrian. Followill's three broken ribs force concert postponements.
2015: Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine drives the honorary pace car at the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Cheez-It 355 at Watkins Glen International in New York.
2017: Glen Campbell was laid to rest in a private ceremony in his hometown of Delight, Arkansas. Sales of his music grew 5,429 percent in the two days following his death on August 8, while streams of his songs increased by 1,430 percent, according to reports from Nielsen Music.

August 10
1955: Two weeks after hitting R&B's Top 10, Chuck Berry's 'Maybellene' lands on the pop chart at #23. It will peak at #5.
1959: Fats Domino's 'I Want to Walk You Home' enters the U.S. record charts, where it will eventually reach the Top 10. Although Fats would have 18 singles that were million sellers, he never had a #1 record.
1959: Recorded in 1958, while Elvis Presley was on furlough during his Army stint, 'A Big Hunk O' Love' is released over a year later and takes only five weeks to reach #1.
1963: Comedian Allan Sherman releases 'Hello Muddah, Hello Fadda,' a comedy bit set to the music from Ponchielli's 'Dance Of The Hearts' that first appeared on his album 'My Son the Nut.' Sherman wrote the song about his son's real life experience at a summer camp called Camp Champlain, at which he wanted desperately to come home and then later pleaded to go back to. The record would climb to #2 on Billboard's Hot 100.
1963: The Rolling Stones, Long John Baldry, Acker Bilk, Chris Barber, Ronnie Ross and Cyril Davies all appeared at the 3rd Richmond Jazz Festival held over two days in Richmond, England. A weekend ticket cost 20 shillings.
1964: Mick Jagger was found guilty of breaking the speed limit and driving without insurance in Liverpool, England. His lawyer said that he was on an errand visiting two fans injured in a car crash.
1964: The Beatles had four singles re-released in the U.S.: ‘Do You Want To Know A Secret,' ‘Please, Please Me,' ‘Love Me Do’ and 'Twist And Shout.’
1968: The Who released their single 'Magic Bus.'
1968: Cream reached the top of the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first and only time with 'Wheels of Fire' which spent four weeks on top.
1968: The lineup for day two of the National Jazz & Blues Festival was Alan Haven, Deep Purple, Ginger Baker, Jeff Beck Group, Joe Cocker, Mike Westbrook, Ronnie Scott, T. Rex, Ten Years After, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, The Don Rendell & Ian Carr Quintet, and The Nice. The festival was held at Kempton Park Racecourse, Sunbury On Thames, England.
1968: Jimi Hendrix played at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
1969: Led Zeppelin perform at the San Diego Sports Arena with Jethro Tull and The Surprise Package, a Seattle band, as the openers.
1970: Elvis Presley began a 58-show stand at the Las Vegas Hilton International Hotel.
1970: In Miami, Jim Morrison’s trial for indecent exposure began. He would be found guilty and Judge Goodman would sentence Jim to six months of hard labor and a $500 fine for public exposure and sixty days of hard labor for profanity. His lawyer filed an immediate appeal and Jim was freed on the $50,000 bond, which is still pending at the time of the singer's death less than a year later. In December 2010, the Florida Clemency Board would grant a full pardon.
1970: Simon and Garfunkel’s album 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' was at #1 on the album chart, The Beatles were 2nd with 'Let It Be' and Bob Dylan was at #3 with 'Self Portrait.'
1971: The Who play at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1972: Following a Wings concert in Gothenburg, Sweden, Paul and Linda McCartney were both arrested and later fined £800 for possession of cannabis. The weed had been sent to them by their management office. McCartney joked the arrest would “make good publicity” for the tour.
1972: Emerson, Lake & Palmer play the Hollywood Sportatorium in Hollywood, Florida.
1973: KISS perform at the Hotel Diplomat in New York. They are introduced to Flipside producer Bill Aucoin and within two weeks the band is signed to Neil Bogart's recently established Casablanca Records.
1974: KISS release their 3rd single, 'Strutter.'
1974: The Allman Brothers Band performed at August Jam at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, Charlotte, North Carolina. Also on the bill were Emerson Lake & Palmer, Foghat, Black Oak Arkansas, and the Marshall Tucker Band.
1976: Elton John played his first of seven sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden. The $1.25 million generated from the shows broke the record set by The Rolling Stones in 1975.
1976: Eric Clapton appeared at The Apollo in Glasgow, Scotland.
1976: Neil Diamond performed at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.
1977: Yes played the Springfield Civic Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
1978: Thin Lizzy appeared at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
1978: Van Halen play in a converted barn club called The Hoover Lake Inn in Salem, Wisconsin. It was an off night while they band was on tour with Black Sabbath. They played a 2nd show the next night.
1979: Van Halen played at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.
1980: Black Sabbath appeared at the Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut on the 'Black and Blue' tour with Blue Oyster Cult.
1981: Kansas performed at Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan.
1982: Queen appeared at the Coliseum in New Haven, Connecticut.
1982: The Grateful Dead’s only performance on this date took place at the University of Iowa Fieldhouse in Iowa City.
1982: Frank and Moon Zappa appear on 'Late Night with David Letterman' and recite the lyrics to 'Valley Girl.'
1982: Queen performed at the Coliseum in New Haven, Connecticut.
1984: Aerosmith appeared at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.
1984: Voivod released the album ' War And Pain.'
1985: Bryan Adams hit #1 on the U.S. charts with his album 'Reckless.' It was his first and only U.S. #1.
1985: Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran was air lifted to safety when his boat Drum overturned while racing off the English coast. Le Bon was trapped under the hull with five other crew members for twenty minutes, until being rescued by the Royal Navy.
1985: After Paul McCartney advised him to use his millions to invest in a music catalog, Michael Jackson bought ATV’s for 47.5-million dollars right out from under McCartney and Yoko Ono, who bid less. The ATV catalog includes no less than 250 Lennon/McCartney songs.
1987: Wilson Pickett was found guilty by a New Jersey court of possessing a shotgun with intent to endanger life following his involvement in a fist fight in a bar.
1987: Loudness release their 7th studio album, 'Hurricane Eyes.' The album was produced by Eddie Kramer.
1988: Winger release their self-titled debut studio album. The album reached #21 on the Billboard Top 200.
1988: AC/DC with special guest White Lion pplayed the Hollywood Sportatorium in Hollywood, Florida.
1989: White Lion release their 3rd studio album, 'Big Game.' It peaks at #19 on Billboard's 200 album chart.
1991: The tour for the 'Black Album' officially began in Copenhagen, Denmark as Metallica shared the bill with AC/DC.
1992: Def Leppard kicked off the North American leg on their 248-date 'Seven Day Weekend' world Tour in support of 'Adrenalize' at Madison Square Garden in New York City. They headlined the Z-100 New York show billed as 'Stop The Violence' with Bryan Adams and Richard Marx playing before them.
1992: Heavy Bones released their self-titled debut album. The band consisted of Joel Ellis (vocals), Gary Hoey (guitars), Rex Tennyson (bass), & Frankie Banali (drums). Even though Tennyson is listed as the bassist, Scott Thunes played all the bass tracks on the album. Tennyson appeared in their one and only music video, '4:AM T.M.'
1993: Billy Joel was sued by songwriter Gary Zimmerman, who said Joel’s 'River of Dreams' sounded suspiciously like one of his own tunes. Zimmerman wanted 10 million dollars.
1993: The Dave Matthews Band played at The Flood Zone in Richmond, Virginia, the gig was recorded with some of songs ending up on the band’s first album 'Remember Two Things.'
1993: Steve Miller Band with special guests Paul Rodgers and Company played Selland Arena in Fresno, CA.
1993: James Taylor' 'Live' is released. It was his 15th album, and first live release. It reached #20 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart. It presents selections from 14 shows during a November 1992 tour.
1995: Jimmy Buffett serenaded President Bill Clinton on his birthday.
1995: Van Halen makes a rare appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman and performs 'Not Enough.'
1996: After being released 11 months prior, Garbage's self-titled debut finally cracks the U.S. album chart's Top 20.
1996: Oasis play the first of two shows at Knebworth, England. One in 20 of the UK's population applies for a ticket, and the band plays to 125,000 people per night in what are the biggest gigs of the Britpop era.
1999: It was announced that Oasis rhythm guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthur's had quit the band after finishing his guitar parts on the bands new album.
1999: Lynyrd Skynyrd releases their 10th studio album, 'Edge of Forever.'
2002: Lisa Marie Presley secretly marries actor Nicolas Cage in Hawaii. The marriage was Presley’s 3rd and Cage’s 2nd. Cage files for divorce 108 days later, and the divorce proceedings last longer than the marriage.
2002: Michael Houser, a founding member and lead guitarist of the band Widespread Panic, died at age 40 from complications due to pancreatic cancer, diagnosed earlier in the year.
2003: The recording industry asked Congress to repeal the “work for hire” amendment. Sheryl Crow and Don Henley had been among those artists complaining that the law prevented them from ever owning their masters.
2004: Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones confirms that he is undergoing treatment for throat cancer. After surgery and radiation, he goes into remission.
2004: Red Hot Chili Peppers' guitarist John Frusciante issues 'Automatic Writing,' the debut disc from his Ataxia project. Ataxia includes the Bicycle Thief's Josh Klinghoffer and the Fugazi's Joe Lally.
2004: Alter Bridge (guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips and bassist Brian Marshall, all formerly of Creed, and vocalist Myles Kennedy) release their debut album, 'One Day Remains.' Also, ex-Creed frontman Scott Sapp (backed by the Tea Party) puts out his solo debut.
2004: Sammy Hagar's career, Montrose and solo efforts (but not Van Halen), is chronicled in 'The Essential Red Collection.' Spanning '73 to '99, the Red Rocker's set features two previously unreleased demos: 'Call My Name' and 'Thinking Of You,' recorded in '75.
2005: The Rolling Stones launch their 'Bigger Bang' tour with a show in Toronto. The tour lasts over two years and sets a record, taking in about $558 million (U2's 360 tour, which ends in 2011, breaks this record).
2005: A judge ruled that legendary New York punk club CBGB did not have to pay its landlord 90-thousand dollars in back rent. The Bowery Residents’ Committee was attempting to evict the venue from the neighborhood.
2006: Three Days Grace launch a series of free concerts, called 'Three Days To Change,' at select rehab centers and treatment facilities. It starts in Orem, UT. Singer Adam Gontier shares his own experiences as a recovering addict.
2006: Evanescence's Amy Lee announces that Tim McCord has been hired as the group's bassist, replacing William Boyd who bailed a few months earlier.
2006: Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx announces a new line of high-end menswear. Sixx teams with Kelly Gray, a former executive of the luxury women's apparel company St. John Knits, for the Royal Underground brand. "Too many of today's fashions have skulls or look tattered and worn out," says Sixx. "You can step it up a notch and have something a little bit on the classier edge." Royal Underground's line features $100 T-shirts and $900 cashmere sweaters.
2006: Actress-model Tara Patrick, otherwise known as Carmen Electra, files for divorce from ex-Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro less than a month after they announce their separation. In papers filed in L.A., Electra blames "irreconcilable differences" for the breakup. Electra and Navarro were married in 2003.
2007: Asia frontman John Wetton undergoes triple-bypass surgery. Wetton's heart problems prompted Asia to cancel the second leg of an '07 North American tour.
2007: Jon Foreman, frontman of Switchfoot, announces the band have left Columbia Records. Switchfoot will soon go on to create their own record label, lowercase people records.
2009: Jet's Nic Cester collapses during a London concert and is rushed to a nearby hospital. The band's website says the singer is "suffering from dehydration and severe low blood pressure." But just two days later, Cester is back on stage with the band performing an acoustic set. "Nic is resilient and doesn't like to cancel a show," says bassist Mark Wilson.
2009: Green Day is up for Choice Music: Rock Group and Choice Music: Rock Track ('Know Your Enemy') at the Teen Choice Awards. But they lose both categories to Paramore and their song 'Decode.'
2010: Black Label Society's 8th studio album, 'Order of the Black' is released. It's their first with drummer Will Hunt from Evanescence. He replaced Craig 'Louisiana Lightning' Nunenmacher, who left the band the previous February. The album debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200.
2010: Electronic Arts rolls out Madden NFL 11. KISS' 'Rock And Roll All Nite,' AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck,' Guns N' Roses' 'Welcome To The Jungle' and Ozzy Osbourne's 'Crazy Train' are on the soundtrack.
2011: The Monkees canceled their nine remaining tour dates, citing "business issues" as the cause. Three of the original band members, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork, went back on the road earlier in the year after a decade apart.
2012: 71-year-old Neil Diamond received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2012: Insane Clown Posse challenges the FBI after they name their collection of fans, “Juggalos,” as a criminal gang. A federal judge dismisses the lawsuit two years later.
2012: During their joint concert in Denver, KISS and Mötley Crüe announce their donation of $100,000 to a relief fund set up to help the victims of the “Dark Knight” movie shooting that occurred on July 20 in nearby Aurora, Colorado. Nikki Sixx says, “Following the heartbreaking news of the senseless shootings in Colorado we wanted to do something to help the families and victims. We bonded together with our tour partners and friends Kiss to donate money, but we also hope it inspires others to do the same, no matter how big or small.”
2015: Nickelback guitarist Ryan Peake and his wife, Treana Peake, founder of the Obakki Foundation, participate in the South Sudan Basic Needs Challenge. Over a five day period, they undertake a series of challenges focused on the necessities of food, water and shelter. Their experiences are shared online. The Obakki Foundation has built or rehabilitated over 700 water wells in the South Sudan.
2015: Columbia House, the mail order music club that originally offered customers eight albums for a dollar, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after almost 20 years of falling sales. Established in 1955 by the Columbia Records division of CBS, the record and DVD retailer saw their sales eroded, first by Napster, then i-tunes, Amazon and Netflix. The company was acquired by long-time competitor BMG in 2005 and shut down mail order operations in 2009.

August 11
1956: Elvis Presley's double sided hit 'Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog' was released. The single went to #1 on the US chart, where it stayed for 11 weeks, a record that would not be broken until 1992's Boyz II Men hit 'End of the Road.' By the end of the year, Presley's hit would sell over 4 million copies.
1958: Elvis Presley's 'Hard Headed Woman' becomes the first Rock 'n' Roll single to earn the RIAA designation of Gold Record. By 2002, he will have sold over 100 million records.
1958: Bill Haley tries to follow his #22 hit, 'Skinny Minnie' with a musically and thematically almost identical song called 'Lean Jean.' Unfortunately, the record buying public wasn't as interested and the tune peaks at #67 during its one week stay on the Billboard Top 100.
1962: The Beach Boys release 'Surfin' Safari.'
1962: Booker T. and the M.G.s release the instrumental hit 'Green Onions.'
1963: The Rolling Stones appear at the 3rd National Jazz Festival in Richmond, Surrey. The show was headlined by the clarinet sounds of Mr. Acker Bilk And His Paramount Jazz Band.
1964: The Who, temporarily known as the High Numbers, perform at Harrow, England's Railway Hotel. Just before the band were due on stage, Roger Daltrey's father-in law came into the venue and dragged the singer outside and hit him. The band started their set and Daltry appeared back on stage after the fight.
1964: The Beatles started recording their 4th album ('Beatles For Sale,' not yet titled), at EMI studios in London, England.
1964: The Beatles' first feature film, 'A Hard Day's Night,' had its U.S. premiere at the Astor Theatre in New York City. Directed by Richard Lester and starring The Beatles during the height of Beatlemania. It was written by Alun Owen and originally released by United Artists. The film was made in the style of a mockumentary, describing a couple of days in the lives of the group.
1965: The Beatles’ movie 'Help!' premiered in New York. The film was directed by Richard Lester, starred The Beatles, and featured Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, John Bluthal, Roy Kinnear and Patrick Cargill. 'Help!' was the 2nd feature film made by The Beatles﻿ and is a comedy adventure which sees the group come up against an evil cult.
1965: The Kinks release their 2nd studio album, 'Kinda Kinks.' It reached #60 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and feature two Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 singles, 'All Day And All Of The Night' (#7), and 'Tired Of Waiting For You' (#6).
1966: John Lennon tried to put out the fire he started, when he noted that The Beatles seemed bigger than Jesus, by apologizing at a televised press conference at The Astor Towers Hotel in Chicago. Lennon told reporters "Look, I wasn’t saying The Beatles are better than God or Jesus, I said ‘Beatles’ because it’s easy for me to talk about The Beatles. I could have said ‘TV’ or ‘Cinema’, ‘Motorcars’ or anything popular and would have got away with it’’. Meanwhile, the city of Memphis asked The Beatles not to play any concerts there and stock in Capitol Records dropped.
1996: Mel Taylor, drummer for The Ventures, dies of lung cancer in Los Angeles. He was 62. Mel was the Ventures drummer for 34 years, and was replaced by his son Leon. He was also the brother of Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor.
1967: The Small Faces, The Move, Marmalade, Paul Jones, Pink Floyd, Amen Corner, Donovan, Zoot Money, Cream, Jeff Beck, John Mayall, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown all appeared at this years UK Reading festival. An advance 3 day ticket cost £2. Arthur Brown's trademark flaming helmet burnt out of control and organiser Harold Pendleton's father-in-law had to douse the flames with a pint of beer.
1967: Pink Floyd spent the day at Abbey Road studios, where they worked on recording 'Apples and Oranges.' The song became their 3rd single.
1968: The Beatles released 'Hey Jude,' their first single to bear their Apple imprint. Backed with 'Revolution,' it went to #1.
1968: Canned Heat played at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.
1969: Deep Purple records 'Speed King' in Studio 2 at the Aeolin Hall. It is aired six days later on 'Symonds On Sunday.'
1969: Donovan's 7th studio album and 8th overall, 'Barabajagal' is released. It was not released in the UK because of a continuing contractual dispute that also prevented 'Sunshine Superman,' 'Mellow Yellow,' and 'The Hurdy Gurdy Man' from being released. It reached #23 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. Three singles, 'Atlantis' (#7), 'Goo Goo Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)' (#36), and 'To Susan On The West Coast Waiting' (#35), all charted on the Billboard Hot 100.
1970: The Allman Brothers Band performed at the Cumberland County Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
1972: Genesis appeared at the opening day of the Reading Festival, along with Curved Air, Jackson Heights, Mungo Jerry, Nazareth, and Steamhammer. The event took place at Little John’s Farm in Reading, England.
1972: The mayor of San Antonio declared today Cheech & Chong Day, although neither was born anywhere near the city.
1972: After five years or marriage, Elvis and Priscilla Presley file for divorce. Lisa Marie is their only child. The couple agreed to share custody of their daughter Lisa Marie and Priscilla was awarded an outright cash payment of $725,000 as well as spousal support, child support, 5% of Elvis' new publishing companies and half the income from the sale of their Beverly Hills home.
1972: Mott the Hoople's 'All The Young Dudes' b/w 'One Of The Boys' 45 single is released. Written by David Bowie,in 2004, Rolling Stone rated 'All the Young Dudes' #253 in its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and on its 2010 update was ranked at #256. It is also one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
1973: The Edgar Winter Group releases 'Free Ride.'
1973: After seeing them play in New York, Bill Aucoin approached Kiss to offer his services as manager. He also promised them a record deal, which they later made with Casablanca.
1973: Rather than join Paul McCartney in traveling to Nigeria to record the band's latest album, 'Band On The Run,' Henry McCullough and Denny Seiwell both quit Wings, forcing Paul, wife Linda, and Denny Laine to record the album as a trio.
1973: 'American Graffiti,' starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Cindy Williams, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Harrison Ford, and Wolfman Jack, opened in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters. Set in 1962 Modesto, California, American Graffiti is a study of the cruising and rock and roll cultures popular among the post–World War II baby boom generation. The film is a nostalgic portrait of teenage life in the early 1960s told in a series of vignettes, featuring the story of a group of teenagers and their adventures within one night. 'American Graffiti' was released to universal critical acclaim and financial success, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Produced on a $775,000 budget, the film has turned out to be one of the most profitable movies of all time. Since its initial release, American Graffiti has garnered an estimated return of well over $200 million in box office gross and home video sales, not including merchandising. In 1995, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.
1975: Aerosmith goes gold with their 'Toys In The Attic' LP. It was last certified in 2002 at 8X Platinum.
1975: ZZ Top played at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, Tennessee.
1976: Aerosmith appeared at the Civic Center in Hartford, Connecticut.
1976: KISS performed at the Tarrant County Convention Center Arena in Ft. Worth, TX.
1976: EMI Records signs a deal to release Wings 'Band On The Run' in the Soviet Union.
1976: Keith Moon was arrested then admitted into a Miami hospital after collapsing at the Fountainbleau Hotel in Miami, but not before trashing his room and running around the hotel in what one security guard described as a “very agitated state.” Still in the hospital five days later, Moon says, “The doctors said it was a breakdown....from overwork, pressure, just getting wound up over the shows. I’ve been working quite steadily over the past two years and eventually it just catches up with you.” A Who show scheduled for the Miami Baseball Stadium has to be cancelled. With the extra time, the other members of The Who remain in Miami enjoying the sun and some deep-sea fishing before heading back to London.
1977: Elvis Costello and the Clash play the Bilzen Festival in Belgium. It's punk rock at a Jazz festival.
1978: AC/DC performed at Symphony Hall in Atlanta, Georgia.
1979: The Knack started a five-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart with 'Get The Knack.'
1979: Led Zeppelin played their last ever UK show when they appeared at Knebworth Park, England. Also on the bill, The New Barbarians, Todd Rundgren, Southside Johnny and the Ashbury Dukes, Chas and Dave, and Fairport Convention.
1979: Van Halen appears at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
1980: Van Halen played at the Lee County Civic Center in North Fort Myers, Florida.
1980: Cheap Trick with openers Teaze played the Montreal Forum.
1980: Johnny Cash sings a duet of 'Jackson' with Miss Piggy on 'The Muppet Show.' He deeply offends Rowlf the dog with his song 'Dirty Old Egg-Sucking Dog.'
1981: Blue Oyster Cult performed at the Paramount Theatre in Portland, Oregon.
1982: The Police appeared at the McGill Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on their 'Ghost In The Machine' Tour.
1982: The Pretenders debut album goes platinum three years after its release.
1986: The Monkees, who are on a reunion tour, have an amazing 6 albums on the Billboard 200. The highest is 'The Monkeees' at #92.
1987: Rolling Stone declared The Beatles 'Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band' the best album of the previous 20 years.
1987: The Grateful Dead perform at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, just outside of Denver.
1987: An L.A. judge throws out a lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne that had been filed by the parents of a teenager who committed suicide while listening to Ozzy's song, 'Suicide Solution.'
1989: Bruce Springsteen joins Ringo Starr onstage at a concert in New Jersey, where they perform 'Get Back,' 'Long Tall Sally,' 'Photograph' and 'With A Little Help From My Friends.'
1992: A decade after going platinum in the U.S., Ozzy Osbourne's solo debut, 'Blizzard Of Ozz,' becomes a double platinum album. It was last certified in 1997 at 4X Platinum.
1993: At a U2 concert in London, the band was joined onstage by author Salman Rushdie. He had been in hiding since a fatwa was declared against him by Iran.
1995: In Belvedere, California, the funeral of Jerry Garcia was held at an Episcopal church.
1996: Mel Taylor, drummer for The Ventures, dies of lung cancer in Los Angeles at 62. Mel was the Ventures drummer for 34 years, and was replaced by his son Leon. He was also the brother of Canned Heat bassist Larry Taylor.
1997: Sonny West, Red West, Lamar Fike and Marty Lacker, four of the biggest members of Elvis' "Memphis Mafia," recall the King in a one-time-only webchat.
1999: Gene Simmons is joined by Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss as KISS got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star coincides with a new movie, 'Detroit Rock City,' about four teenagers who embark on a wild adventure to attend a sold-out Kiss concert. At the time, the band had already sold over 80 million records worldwide.
2001: Black Sabbath, Linkin Park, Slipknot and Marilyn Manson all appeared at the Ozzfest at PNC Bank Arts Centre in New Jersey.
2002: Bruce Springsteen started a two week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'The Rising,' his 5th U.S. #1. It also went to #1 in the UK. The album was Springsteen’s first album with the E Street Band in eighteen years & sold approximately 520,000 copies in its first week of release.
2003: John Mellencamp records an Elvis tribute at Graceland just days before the 26th anniversary of Presley's death. The concert is broadcast online.
2005: Institute, with ex-Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, begin their maiden tour in San Diego. They play songs from their 'Distort Yourself' CD plus some Bush songs.
2005: Velvet Revolver start their North American tour in Mt. Pleasant, MI. They are without drummer Matt Sorum who fractured his hand in a waterskiing accident. Veteran drummer Brian Tichy is tapped as the temporary replacement.
2005: A court ruling states that anyone who purchased Evanescence's "Anywhere But Home" CD/DVD package at Wal-Mart stores in Maryland prior to the first of the year can get a refund because the disc did not carry a parental-advisory sticker warning of explicit lyrics. A Maryland couple sued Sony BMG Music Entertainment and its Wind-Up Records subsidiary over the absence of a sticker.
2006: The Pretenders are taped in Atlantic City, NJ, for an episode of 11) ' series. The Kings Of Leon join the festivities to rework Pretenders tunes.
2006: Singer/talk show host Mike Douglas dies suddenly on his 86th birthday after a bout of dehydration in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
2007: Pete Parada performs at Japan's Summer Sonic Festival, his first show with The Offspring. The former Saves The Day drummer replaced Atom Willard.
2008: The four surviving founders of the Allman Brothers Band initiate a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) over alleged unpaid royalties from sales of CDs, digital downloads and ringtones. The musicians are seeking more than $10 million in damages.
2009: Whitesnake frontman David Coverdale loses his voice during a Denver concert due to a "severe vocal fold edema and a left vocal fold vascular lesion." As a result, the group bails on their tour with Judas Priest.
2009: Rolling Stones Ron Wood joins Pearl Jam onstage in London. The guitarist plays four songs with the band including 'All Along The Watchtower.'
2009: John Fogerty and Bruce Springsteen duet on a cover of the Everly Brothers 'When Will I Be Loved' which is available exclusively through iTunes.
2010: Linkin Park's 'The Catalyst' debuts at #1 on Nielsen's Rock Songs chart, making it the first track to debut atop the survey since its creation in 2009.
2010: Arcade Fire's 3rd album, 'The Suburbs,' debuts at #1 on the Billboard 200 selling 156,000 copies.
2010: London & Co. and Courtney Love settle a $1 million lawsuit over the profits from the sale of Nirvana's publishing catalog. The management company sued Love claiming the Hole frontwoman and widow of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain failed to share the earnings from the sale of a portion of Nirvana's catalog totaling nearly $20 million.
2010: The Faces (guitarist Ronnie Wood, drummer Kenny Jones and keyboardist Ian McGlagan) play the first of their reunion shows at London's British Music Experience. In addition to Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall, replacing Rod Stewart (who had other commitments), the Sex Pistols Glenn Matlock is on bass, and Wood's son Jessie plays rhythm guitar. 'Stay With Me' (the second song of their encore) closes the show.
2011: Green Day perform at the tiny Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa CA to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
2011: Jani Lane (born John Kennedy Oswald and later changed to John Patrick Oswald), former lead singer and songwriter of Warrant, dies of acute alcohol poisoning in a hotel in Woodland Hills, CA. at 47. Lane, long plagued with alcohol related arrests and problems, died alone. Jani wrote all of Warrant’s material including eight Top 40 hit singles: 'Down Boys,' 'Sometimes She Cries,' 'Big Talk,' 'Cherry Pie,' 'I Saw Red,' 'Uncle Tom’s Cabin' and 'Blind Faith.' Lane finally left Warrant in 2008 and was pursuing a solo career.
2012: Paul McCartney makes a special appearance at the third annual Apollo Theater fundraiser/concert at the Hamptons home of Ron Perelman (MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc.). The benefit draws 260 guests and raises more than $2 million for the theater.
2012: Aaron Lewis, frontman for Staind, holds his first charity golf tournament. The Bernardston, MA, event raises over $150,000 for It Takes A Community Foundation which supports the R.H. Conwell Community Education Center. The foundation, founded by Lewis and his wife Vanessa, helps schools acquire desks, books and school supplies and funds teachers' salaries.
2016: Green Day release their ‘comeback’ single 'Bang Bang.'
2018: 'Pearl Jam: Home and Away' exhibit opens at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle. The exhibit with more than 200 artifacts includes a statue of Andrew Wood, the late singer who fronted the pre-Pearl Jam band, Mother Love Bone.

August 12
1958: On "compassionate leave" from the Army, Elvis Presley travels to Memphis' Baptist Memorial hospital to be by the side of his mother, Gladys, who is quickly deteriorating from acute hepatitis.
1960: Pete Best auditioned to become The Silver Beatles' drummer and was asked to travel to Hamburg in Germany for the bands next set of dates. Before leaving for Hamburg, The Silver Beatles changed their name to simply, "The Beatles".
1964: The Beatles first film 'A Hard Day's Night' opened in 500 American theaters.
1966: The Beatles performed two shows at the International Amphitheatre in Chicago, Illinois. This was the first stop on what would turn out to be The Beatles' final U.S. tour. Support acts were the Remains, Bobby Hebb, Cyrkle, and the Ronettes.
1967: Fleetwood Mac make their stage debut at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor, England, alongside such acts as Donovan, Cream, The Small Faces, and Chicken Shack, featuring a young Christine Perfect (later known as Christine McVie). The band members included Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer, Peter Green and Bob Brunning. John McVie wouldn't replace Brunning until a month later, which is rather odd, since the band has always maintained that the "Mac" part of their name was taken from "McVie".
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared at The Ambassador Theatre, Washington D.C.
1967: The Who played at Convention Hall in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
1967: The Velvet Underground appeared at Boston Tea Party in Boston.
1967: The Grateful Dead headlined at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.
1968: Big Brother and the Holding Company's 2nd album, 'Cheap Thrills' is released. It topped the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart for eight (nonconsecutive) weeks, and reached #7 on the Billboard Top R&B LP's chart. The single 'Piece of My Heart' reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2003, the album was ranked #338 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Initially, the album was to be called 'Sex, Dope and Cheap Thrills,' but the title was not received well by Columbia Records.
1968: Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham play together for the first time when they rehearse at a tiny studio in London’s West End. Still known as the New Yardbirds, the four choose a cover of the old Johnny Burnette & the Rock and Roll Trio number 'Train Kept A-Rollin' as their first song. They also played 'Smokestack Lightning' and a version of 'I'm Confused' (soon to become 'Dazed And Confused'). Robert Plant says, “I remember the little room — all I can remember it was hot and it sounded good. Very exciting and very challenging really. It felt like we’d found something that we had to be very careful with because we might lose it. But it was remarkable, the power." It was not until the following month when they started to use the name Led Zeppelin.
1970: Janis Joplin performs what will be her final concert as part of the at Harvard University, ending with a version of Gershwin’s 'Summertime.' Joplin dies on October 4 and her final album 'Pearl' is released posthumously in January 1971.
1970: Derek and the Dominoes appeared at the Speakeasy, London.
1970: Fleetwood Mac played the first of a five-night run at the Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood, California.
1970: The last night of Pink Floyd’s festival tour – the Fete de St. Raphael, was held at a preserved Roman amphitheater in Frejus, St. Raphael, France.
1970: Alice Cooper, Amboy Dukes and others played the Centraal States Pop Festival at the Pennington County Fairgrounds in Rapid City, South Dakota.
1971: John Lennon & Yoko Ono donated £1,000 to the Clyde Shipbuilders Scottish Union fighting fund who were refusing to stop work at the Glasgow site after being made redundant.
1971: During a UK tour Queen played at the Tregye Hotel in Truro, England.
1972: Alice Cooper hits #1 in the UK for the first of three weeks with 'School's Out.'
1973: The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, and Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers perform at the Corral Club in Topanga, California.
1974: Rory Gallagher performed at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio.
1975: Eric Clapton played at the Coliseum in Denver, Colorado.
1976: Yes appeared at the Louisville Gardens in Louisville, Kentucky.
1976: Elton John’s Rock of the Westies tour stopped at Madison Square Garden in New York.
1977: Henri Padovani guitarist with The Police quit the group after nine months leaving them a trio.
1979: KISS performed at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
1980: The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Star Plaza Theatre in Merrillville, Indiana, in suburban Chicago.
1981: The Grateful Dead performed at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah.
1982: Blue Oyster Cult played at the Scope in Norfolk, Virginia
1985: Neil Young's 15th studio album, 'Old Ways' is released. The Country music sounding album reached #75 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart.
1986: Rough Cutt released the Jack Douglas produced album 'Wants You.'
1986: Prince started a run of five nights at Wembley Arena in London, his first UK shows in five years.
1989: The two-day Moscow Music Peace Festival begins with an all-star lineup that includes Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Cinderella, the Scorpions and Gorky Park. It marks the first time an audience in the Soviet Union is allowed to stand up and dance at a concert. Previous to this, all concerts had to be seated. Proceeds went to The Make A Difference Foundation, which was created by manager Doc McGee after his arrest for drug smuggling. The concert is labeled “hypocritical,” as many of the musicians are drinking or using drugs at the time.
1989: Great White peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their cover of Ian Hunter’s 'Once Bitten, Twice Shy' which was their only top 10 single in the U.S.
1991: Metallica released their self titled album, also commonly known as "The Black Album." It debuted at #1 in ten countries and spent four consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Top 200.
1992: Guns N' Roses, Metallica and Faith No More played Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado.
1993: Neil Young kicked off the North American leg of his tour at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, SD. Young was backed by Booker T & the MG’s on this tour & the tour would feature opening acts such as Soundgarden & Pearl Jam.
1994: Heart began a five night stand at the Backstage Club in Seattle to record their acoustic album 'The Road Home,' which was released the following year.
1994: Woodstock ’94 (dubbed Mudstock ’94 for the terrible wet conditions) kicks off in Saugerties, NY. The three-day festival includes performances by Aerosmith, Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Primus featuring Jerry Cantrell, Peter Gabriel, Bob Dylan, Green Day, the Allman Brothers Band, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Santana, Traffic, Todd Rundgren, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blind Melon, Peter Gabriel, Sheryl Crow, Nine Inch Nails, Porno For Pyros, Candlebox and more.
1996: Alanis Morissette appeared at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, New York with Radiohead as support.
1997: MTV debuts the Fleetwood Mac reunion concert 'The Dance,' marking the first time the five had been on stage together since 1982.
1997: Blues great Luther Allison dies in Wisconsin of complications due to lung cancer. He was 57 Allison got his big break playing guitar with the legendary Howlin’ Wolf and was also one of the few blues artists to be signed to Motown Records. Guitar World said of his playing, “Reckless in the best sense of the word, dancing on a razor’s edge, remaining just this side of out-of-control. Hard-driving, piercing West Side Chicago single-note leads with a soul base and a rock edge.”
1998: Scott Weiland, the lead singer of the Stone Temple Pilots, pleads guilty to felony heroin possession and is sentenced to three months in a drug treatment facility and three years probation. Weiland faced three years in prison for the charges and had skipped a previous hearing before being arrested as a fugitive. The judge concludes the hearing by telling Weiland, “Please get your life together.” To date, he has been arrested on drug and/or alcohol charges at least three more times.
1999: Alice Cooper’s music publisher sues Paul Stanley and Bruce Kulick of KISS over a claim that KISS’ song 'Dreamin’ is a ripoff of Alice Cooper’s 'I’m Eighteen.' The eventual settlement is reported to be in the low six figures.
1999: The KISS-produced movie 'Detroit Rock City,' the story of fans on their way to a KISS concert, opens nationwide.
2000: A powerful gust of wind brings down the outdoor roof and lighting rig weighing over 10 tons on members of 38 Special during a performance in Mancos, CA. Miraculously, no members of the band are injured, but their manager gets a cut on the head and a member of the sound crew has a broken ankle.
2008: Metallica releases 'The Day That Never Comes,' the lead single from their 9th studio album, 'Death Magnetic.'
2008: Extreme released their 5th studio album, 'Saudades de Rock.'
2008: The man who shot and killed John Lennon, Mark David Chapman, is denied parole for the 5th time.
2010: Richie Hayward, founding member and drummer of Little Feat, dies from complications due to liver cancer at 64. During his lifetime, he also suffered numerous motorcycle crashes, some of which were very serious. When he was a teen, Hayward left Iowa and flew to LA, where he answered an ad in the LA Free Press which read “Drummer Wanted, Must Be Freaky”, and was recruited into the Factory, an offshoot from Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention. Despite Zappa producing some tracks for them, the Factory fizzled out, though not before making an appearance in the TV sitcom 'F Troop,' billed as the Bed Bugs. He was a sought after studio musician, playing and touring with Eric Clapton, Robert Plant, Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, Joan Armatrading, Peter Frampton, Robert Palmer, Warren Zevon and many more.
2012: The London 2012 Olympics ended with a spectacular musical closing ceremony. The three-hour show featured some of the biggest names of British music from decades past, including The Who, Ray Davies, Liam Gallagher, Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen, Muse, the Spice Girls, George Michael, Take That, Jessie J, Emeli Sande, Elbow, Madness, The Pet Shop Boys and One Direction. The Who perform 'Baba O' Riley' and 'My Generation' during the closing ceremonies. In the U.S., NBC decides not to broadcast The Who or other acts (including Ray Davies of The Kinks). Instead, they offer a commercial-free airing of a new show called 'Animal Practice.'
2014: North York Community Council in Toronto approves changing the name of Willowdale Park to the Lee Lifeson Art Park, after Rush members Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson. The renaming acknowledges the musicians' contributions to their hometown's culture and the community. Lee says he and Lifeson are "humbly honored."
2015: Priscilla Presley joined U.S. Postmaster General Megan Brennan in announcing that the Elvis Presley Forever stamp would now be available nationwide. It's the 2nd postage stamp bearing his likeness (the first was introduced in 1993). This one features a black-and-white photograph by William Speer of Elvis in 1955 and is part of the Music Icon series that began in 2013. Forever Stamps have previous recognized Tejano guitarist and singer Lydia Mendoza, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.
2015: 66-year-old Billy Joel and his fourth wife, 33-year-old Alexis Joel, welcomed a baby girl they named Della Rose.
2016: Impact Ventures, the parent company of TNA Wrestling and Impact Wrestling, announce the appointment of Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) as its president. Corgan, a major wrestling fan, is responsible for leading day-to-day operations for Impact and its affiliated brands.
2016: Whitesnake's 'Here I Go Again' is heard in a Walmart in a "Back To School" commercial.
2017: The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) debuts the exclusive presentation of It's Alive! Classic Horror And Sci-Fi Art From The Kirk Hammett Collection.” Hammett, Metallica’s lead guitarist, is an avid collector of classic horror and sci-fi movie posters.

August 13
1938: Robert Johnson, famous for his song "Crossroads," where he sings about making a deal with the Devil to attain his musical prowess, is poisoned during a gig in Greenwood, Mississippi. Most accounts claim the guy who owned the club put the poison in Johnson's whiskey bottle because Johnson was having an affair with his wife. He died three days later at age 27.
1952: The original version of 'Hound Dog' was recorded by Willie Mae (Big Mama) Thornton. It would become the first hit for the song-writing team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and went on to top the Billboard R&B chart for seven weeks, selling nearly two million copies.
1954: In St. Louis, Chuck Berry records as a solo for the first time.
1963: The Four Seasons sue their struggling first label, Vee Jay, for non payment of royalties and move to Mercury/Philips Records. This would be the first of a long line of incidents that would doom the label.
1963: Elvis Presley's 'Girls! Girls! Girls!' LP is certified gold.
1963: Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' In The Wind' b/w 'Don't Think Twice, It's Alright' 45 single is released.
1964: The Kinks score their first hit as 'You Really Got Me,' written by Ray Davies on his mother's piano, enters the British charts.
1965: Jefferson Airplane make their stage debut at San Francisco’s new club The Matrix, which leads to them securing a record deal after receiving a positive review in the San Francisco Chronicle. The photograph that appeared on the cover of ther band's 'Surrealistic Pillow' album was taken outside The Matrix.
1965: The Beatles arrived at Kennedy International Airport for a tour of North America. The set list for the tour was ‘Twist and Shout’, ‘She's a Woman’, ‘I Feel Fine’, ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzie’, ‘Ticket to Ride’, ‘Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby’, ‘Can't Buy Me Love’, ‘Baby's in Black’, ‘Act Naturally’, ‘A Hard Day's Night’, ‘Help!’, ‘I'm Down’ and ‘I Wanna Be Your Man.’ The tour was not a happy one for The Beatles, John Lennon took to screaming off-microphone obscenities at the audiences.
1965: Mike Smith, lead singer of The Dave Clark Five, suffered two broken ribs when he was pulled off the stage by fans. The group were in Chicago at the beginning of a US tour.
1966: The Rolling Stones peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Mother’s Little Helper' which was their 8th top 10 single in the U.S.
1966: With some members of the media turning on The Beatles after John Lennon's comments that they are "more popular than Jesus" are published, the Texas radio station KLUE-AM holds the first "Beatles Bonfire," where people can burn their Beatles albums. The next morning, the station's transmission tower was struck by lightning, halting all broadcasting and rendering the news director unconscious.
1966: The Lovin' Spoonful's 'Summer In The City' hits #1. The song features a series of car horns during the instrumental bridge, starting with a Volkswagen Beetle horn, and ends up with a jackhammer sound, in order to give the impression of the sounds of the summer in the city.
1966: 'Revolver, The Beatles seventh album release in three years, started a seven-week run at #1 on the UK charts. Meanwhile, their 'Yesterday and Today' album entered the third of a five-week run atop the US charts.
1967: The Who appeared at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C.
1967: A planned Joan Baez concert at Washington DC's Constitution Hall is canceled after the Daughters of the American Revolution protest her recent anti-war remarks concerning Vietnam.
1968: An all-star cast of bands including The Who, James Cotton, Magic Sam, Creedence Clearwater Revival Official, Albert Collins, Grateful Dead, Kaleidoscope, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Spooky Tooth, and Cold Blood, kicked off nearly two weeks worth of dance/concerts at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.
1969: The Guess Who recorded 'American Woman' at RCA Mid-America Recording Center Studio B in Chicago which went on to become their first #1 single in the U.S.
1970: Iron Butterfly released their 4th studio album,'Metamorphosis.'
1971: John Lennon flew from Heathrow Airport to New York. He never set foot on British soil again.
1971: Pink Floyd played their first ever-Australian date when they appeared at the Festival Hall in Melbourne. The group, who were on an Asia Pacific tour, played just one other date in Australia, in Sydney, two nights later.
1971: Saxophonist Curtis Ousley, known as King Curtis, is stabbed to death by two drug dealers outside his Manhattan apartment. Ousley was a beloved session musician who had worked with John Lennon, Aretha Franklin, The Coasters and Duane Allman to name just a few. He also recorded the original theme song for the 1971 hit television show Soul Train. At his funeral, Jesse Jackson administered the service with Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder performing. Curtis was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
1972: Hawkwind performed at the Rainbow Theatre in London.
1972: Ten Years After headlined the final day of the Reading Festival. Matching Mole, Quintessence, Stackridge, Status Quo, Stray, String Driven Thing, Sutherland Brothers, Vinegar Joe, and Wizzard were also on the bill.
1973: Lynyrd Skynyrd release their debut album (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd). It goes on to sell over 2 million copies and features songs 'Simple Man,' 'Tuesday’s Gone,' 'Gimme Three Steps' and the iconic 'Free Bird.'
1974: Rory Gallagher appeared at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio.
1975: The Grateful Dead performed at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. The show was broadcast on September 1st by the Metromedia Network.
1975: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play the first of five sold-out shows at The Bottom Line in New York City. The shows help establish Springsteen as a great live performer and draw national attention.
1976: The Clash give their first 'official' performance. It's a media showcase at London's Chalk Farm.
1977: Bachman-Turner Overdrive announce that the group is splitting up. They would reunite in 1983 before splitting up again in 2005.
1977: Yes scored their 2nd UK #1 album with their 8th studio album 'Going For The One.' The album marked the return of keyboardist Rick Wakeman, who departed in 1974 over musical differences.
1978: AC/DC appeared at Gusman Philharmonic Hall in Miami, Florida.
1979: Cheap Trick's breakthrough single, the exciting live version of 'I Want You To Want Me' recorded at the Budokan in Tokyo goes gold.
1980: Four masked robbers break into Todd Rundgren’s New York home, tie him up and and proceed to steal anything of worth while humming his song “I Saw The Light.” He says, “Yeah, and they threatened to cut all my fingers off if I didn’t tell them where I hid all my cocaine, on the weird presumption that anybody in the music business had a lot of cocaine.”
1980: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Poplar Creek Music Theater in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.
1982: In response to plummeting record sales (which the industry blames on the sale of blank cassette tapes), major labels CBS, Atlantic, and Warner Brothers announce a series of major staff cuts.
1982: Don Henley released his debut solo album 'I Can’t Stand Still.' The album went on to be certified Gold & peak at #24 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart.
1982: Van Halen kick off three straight nights at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
1983: Whitesnake release their 'Guilty of Love' single. It peaks at #31 on the UK's Official Charts. ‬
1986: Sword released their debut album 'Metalized.'
1987: Twisted Sister release their 5th studio album, 'Love Is for Suckers.' It spends 11 weeks & peaks at #74 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart. It would be Twisted Sister's final studio album of original material.
1988: Iron Maiden released their 'The Evil That Men Do' single. The single's B-sides are re-recordings of 'Prowler' and 'Charlotte the Harlot.' The single reached #5 on the UK's Official Charts.
1988: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts by INXS’ 'Never Tear Us Apart' at #86, Europe’s 'Superstitious' #80 & Def Leppard’s 'Love Bites' at #52. Also, Cheap Trick’s 'Don’t Be Cruel' was #48 & 'The Flame' #26, Van Halen’s 'When It’s Love' #21, Aerosmith’s 'Rag Doll' #19, Def Leppard’s 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' #18‬, and GNR’s 'Sweet Child ‘O Mine' #13.
1992: Neil Diamond played the first of six sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in New York. Diamond would bring in over $40 million from touring this year, the second highest in the music industry.
1993: Steely Dan, who broke up in 1981, re-form and begin a US tour at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Walter Becker explains: "We spent all the money from the last tour. We made $800 each and it's all gone now."
1993: The fantasy-comedy movie 'Heart and Souls' premieres in U.S. theaters. Star Robert Downey Jr. sings the national anthem in the film, backed by B.B. King on guitar. King also performs his classic 'The Thrill is Gone.'
1994: Members from Oasis and The Verve were arrested after smashing up a hotel bar and breaking into a church to steal communion wine. Both bands had been appearing at Hulsfred Festival in Sweden.
1994: 'Elvis Aaron Presley: The Tribute,' is broadcast on pay-per-view. Melissa Etheridge performs 'Hound Dog.'
1994: The Melissa Etheridge single 'Come To My Window," peaks at #25 on the pop chart.
1995: R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe goes in for hernia surgery following the conclusion of the group's European trek.
1996: Neurotic Outsiders, featuring Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum, Steve Jones and John Taylor is released.
1999: Ex-Guns N' Roses member Slash was arrested accused of assaulting his girlfriend at his Sunset Boulevard recording studio by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies. He was released on bail.
1999: Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall divorce, with Hall getting the marriage annulled according to English common law, saying the ceremony had not been valid under English or Indonesian law. They were married in a Hindu-inspired ceremony in Indonesia in 2000, but it all fell apart when Hall discovered Jagger had fathered another child with Brazilian fashion model Luciana Morad. In the divorce settlement, Hall was awarded $25 million, saying that Jagger had been unfaithful during the entire course of their relationship.
2006: It's the first day of the Rock n' Roll Fantasy Camp in New York. The instructors include George Thorogood, Yes vocalist Jon Anderson, E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg, ex-Grand Funk Railroad frontman Mark Farner and former Allman Brothers Band singer-guitarist Dickey Betts. The counselors are Bad Company drummer Simon Kirke, former Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau and ex-KISS axe-man Bruce Kulick. The five-day camp costs $8,499.
2007: Fats Domino is honored as an "American Music Legend" by the Recording Industry Association of America.
2007: Amy Winehouse pulled out of two Rolling Stones gigs in Hamburg Germany citing exhaustion, British group Starsailor replaced Winehouse for the shows.
2008: Billy Joel joins New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg at a press conference announcing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's plans to open an annex in the Big Apple the following November. Like the Hall of Fame in Cleveland, the NY space hosts exhibits and artifacts, including Joel's notebook containing lyrics he wrote for 'The Stranger.'
2009: Lit's Allen Shellenberger succumbs to brain cancer following chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Diagnosed with a malignant glioma brain tumor in 2008 the drummer passes away surrounded by family, bandmates and friends.
2009: Guitarist Les Paul died in hospital in White Plains, New York at the age of 94 suffering from severe pneumonia. Paul is credited with developing one of the first solid-body electric guitars, which went on sale in 1952 and contributed to the birth of rock. He also developed other influential recording innovations such as multi-track recording and overdubbing. In the early 50's, Paul and his wife Mary Ford had a string of hits including 'Mockin' Bird Hill,' 'How High the Moon,' and 'Vaya Con Dios.'
2010: Jimi Hendrix is inducted into the Fender Hall of Fame during the fourth annual induction ceremony. Since Hendrix and Fender are nearly inseparable it's surprising it took so long.
2010: Iron Maiden release their 15th studio album, 'The Final Frontier.' It was cut at Compass Point Studios where Iron Maiden recorded 'Piece Of Mind,' 'Powerslave' and 'Somewhere In Time.' "The studio had the same vibe and it was exactly as it had been in 1983," says frontman Bruce Dickinson. The band won a Grammy Award in the Best Metal Performance category for the song 'El Dorado.'‬ The album reached #4 on the Billboard chart. ‬
2010: Guns N' Roses perform their first official American show in four years (the 2010 secret shows during New York's Fashion Week don't count) as the headliner of the Rock N' Rev Festival, the self-proclaimed World's Largest Biker Event, in Sturgis, SD.
2013: Metallica perform in China for the very first time when they play the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. "It is so rare for us to be able to say that we are visiting a country for the very first time, so this is an extra special announcement for us," posts the band.
2013: Shadows Fall guitarist Jon Donais announces he's joined Anthrax.
2013: Jon Brookes, a founding member of the British indie band The Charlatans, dies at age 44. "He was much loved by those who knew him and regarded as one of the finest drummers of his generation and will be dearly missed by all who knew him," reads a band statement.
2014: Guitarist Chris Walla announces his departure from Death Cab For Cutie, after seventeen years. An original member, along with frontman Ben Gibbard, Walla fulfills tour commitments before actually leaving.
2014: Glenn Danzig's trademark infringement lawsuit against former bandmate Jerry Only is thrown out of court. The Misfits founder alleged that Only signed deals with retailers insisting he was the sole owner of the rights "for everything Misfits-related." Judge Gary Klausner dismisses the suit, stating that Danzig could not prove his case.
2014: The Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols) version of 'My Way,' originally recorded by Frank Sinatra, is used in a Honda commercial to promote their TLX sedan luxury automobile. 2015: Nickelback cancel the remaining dates of their 'No Fixed Address World Tour' because singer Chad Kroeger is ordered to rest his voice following surgery for an intracordal cyst.
2015: Nickelback cancel the remaining dates of their No Fixed Address World Tour because singer Chad Kroeger is ordered to rest his voice following surgery for an intracordal cyst.
2015: Jimmy Page told The Daily Beast that he doesn't foresee another Led Zeppelin reunion in the future. The last time the three surviving members played together was in 2007 for a one-off show at London's O2 with John Bonham's son Jason on drums.
2017: Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong condemns Charlottesville white nationalists saying “I f–king hate racism more than anything.” A day earlier, two opposing groups protested in response to the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Civil War general Robert E. Lee. A car driven by a white supremacist plows into a group of people, killing one person and injuring 19 others.

August 14
1956: Washington D.C. disc jockey Bob Rickman forms the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Elvis Presley after reading too many news articles that make him out to be a hick and/or a threat to society.
1958: Elvis Presley's mother Gladys died of a heart attack with complications of hepatitis. At her funeral two days later Presley was so overcome with grief he was unable to stand and had to be supported. Over 500 police were at the service to keep the gigantic crowd at bay. He said, “She’s all I ever lived for. She was always my best girl.” Some speculate that he never got over her death. He continued to send fresh flowers to her grave weekly until he died 19 years later.
1962: Unhappy with drummer Pete Best's role in The Beatles Brian Epstein and the other three members decided to fire him. Best played his last gig the following night at The Cavern, Liverpool. Ringo Starr who was nearing the end of a three-month engagement with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes at a Butlin's holiday camp received a telephone call from John Lennon, asking him to join The Beatles. Ringo gave Rory Storm three days notice and on August 18, appeared as a member of The Beatles for the first time.
1965: The Beatles taped an appearance for CBS-TV's The Ed Sullivan Show at Studio 50, New York City. They performed ‘I Feel Fine,' ‘I'm Down,' ‘Act Naturally,' ‘Ticket to Ride,' ‘Yesterday,' and ‘Help!’ It was their 4th and final appearance on the show.
1965: The Beatles 'Help!' is the #1 song in the U.S.
1965: Sonny & Cher started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with 'I Got You Babe.' Sonny Bono is said to have been inspired to write the song to capitalize on the popularity of the term “babe,” as heard in Bob Dylan’s 'It Ain’t Me Babe.'
1965: The McCoys' 'Hang On Sloopy' is released. It will enter the Hot 100 three weeks later and top the chart by the first week of October.
1966: Little Anthony & The Imperials, (Steve Van Zandt’s band), The Shadows and The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) all appeared at the Surf ‘n See Club in Seabright New Jersey.
1966: The Beatles appeared at Cleveland stadium in Ohio, the first concert to be held at the stadium.
1966: London's Catholic Herald largely dismisses John Lennon's apology regarding the oft quoted statement that "The Beatles are bigger than Christ." However, the Herald goes on to admit Lennon is probably right.
1967: Britain's new Marine Broadcasting Offences Act goes into effect, forcing all but one of the country's famous "pirate" (i.e., unlicensed) radio stations off the air. Radio Caroline remains on the air for another six months or so.
1968: 'Fire' by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown was at #1 on the UK singles chart. As part of his act Brown would perform the song on stage with his hat set on fire.
1970: Stephen Stills was arrested on suspected drugs charges while staying at a San Diego Hotel after being found crawling along a corridor in an incoherent state. He makes the $2,500 bail and is released.
1970: The first day of the three day UK Yorkshire Folk, Blues & Jazz Festival at Krumlin, Yorkshire took place featuring Atomic Rooster, Pink Floyd, (who didn’t appear after being fog bound at Paris Airport), The Kinks, Elton John, Mungo Jerry, Yes, Alan Price, Georgie Fame, Juicy Lucy, Pretty Things and The Groundhogs. Tickets cost £3 ($5.)
1971: Ten Years After, and Edgar Winter’s White Trash appeared at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1971: The Who release their 5th studio album, 'Who's Next.' It peaks at #4 in the U.S., and hits #1 in the UK. The cover artwork shows a photo of the band apparently having just urinated on a large concrete piling, but according to photographer Ethan Russell, most of the band members were unable to urinate, so rainwater was tipped from an empty film canister to achieve the desired effect.
1971: Rod Stewart releases the single 'Maggie May.' It becomes his first #1 single in the U.S.
1971: The Moody Blues went to #1 on the album chart with their 6th album 'Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.'
1971: During a UK tour, Queen played at the NCOs’ Mess at RAF Culdrose in Culdrose England.
1974: Rush play their first show with Neil Peart behind the drum kit in Pittsburgh, PA. opening for Uriah Heep & Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.
1975: Eric Clapton performed at Los Angeles Forum.
1976: The Steve Miller Band releases the single 'Rock 'N' Me.'
1976: Nick Lowe's single, 'So It Goes,' and accompanying album 'Heart Of The City,' are the first releases by the soon to be legendary Stiff label.
1977: Yes played at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, Maine.
1977: Alice Cooper with special guests Climax Blues Band performed at Hirsch Memorial Coliseum in Sheveport, Louisiana.
1978: The Beatles 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' b/w 'With A Little Help From My Friends' / 'A Day in the Life' 45 single is released for the first time in the U.S. When The Beatles' recording contract with EMI expired in 1976, EMI was free to re-release music from The Beatles' catalogue, and in 1978 – 11 years after the original album release, this single was released. It reached #71 on September 30, 1978 where it stayed for 2 weeks. The single was released on Parlophone in the UK in September.
1981: The Grateful Dead appeared at the Seattle Center Coliseum in Seattle, Washington.
1981: Four years after his untimely death, a Memphis judge rules that Elvis Presley's estate is no longer financially beholden to his manager, "Colonel" Tom Parker.
1985: Michael Jackson won a bid over Yoko Ono and Paul McCartney to secure the ATV Music Publishing catalog. At $47.5 million he gained the rights to more than 250 songs written by Lennon and McCartney. McCartney had been negotiating with Yoko Ono, who had decided to withdraw her side of the deal because of 'astrological' reasons.
1987: Guns N' Roses kick off their first North American tour at a show in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They're the opening act for The Cult.
1988: Guitarist Roy Buchanan died after hanging himself with his own shirt in Fairfax County Adult Detention Center having been arrested for drunkenness. Buchanan released over 15 solo albums. A pioneer of the Telecaster sound, Buchanan was a sideman and solo artist, with two gold albums early in his career, and two later solo albums that made it on to the Billboard chart. Despite never having achieved stardom, he is still considered a highly influential guitar player. Although not mentioned on the Rolling Stone list "100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time," Guitar Player praised him as one of the "50 Greatest Tones of all Time." Jeff Beck dedicated the song 'Cause We've Ended As Lovers' to Buchanan in 1975 on his 'Blow by Blow' album.
1988: John Mellencamp becomes grandfather at age 37. His 18 year old daughter gives birth to Elexis Suzanne Peach.
1988: Robert Calvert, lead singer, poet, and frontman of Hawkwind died of a heart attack. He was a member of the group from 1972-1979 during which time he co-wrote their hit single 'Silver Machine' and directed their Space Ritual tour.
1989: After decades of mass bootlegging by Soviet Rock fans, Bon Jovi's 'New Jersey' LP becomes the first U.S. album legally released in the Soviet Union. The group's first royalty payment is a truckload of firewood. No joke! It's because rubles, the Soviet currency, can't leave the country.
1991: The movie 'The Commitments' opens in limited release in the U.S. The film features all four Corrs in small parts, including the youngest Andrea in a speaking role as Sharon Rabbitte. While auditioning for the film, The Corrs connect with future manager John Hughes who helps the group hone their sound and eventually sign a deal with Atlantic Records for their debut album Forgiven, Not Forgotten.
1992: Motörhead release their album 'March ör Die.' It includes a cover of Ted Nugent's 'Cat Scratch Fever.' Former drummer Phil Taylor guested on 'I Ain't no Nice Guy' along with Slash and Ozzy Osbourne. Tommy Aldridge played drums on the other 9 tracks on the album.
1993: Freddie Mercury posthumously reached #1 on the U.K. Singles Chart for the first and only time as a solo artist with 'Living on My Own' which spent two weeks on top of the chart.
1993: Pearl Jam and Nirvana perform at a Pro Choice rally in Washington, D.C.
1993: Smashing Pumpkins 'Siamese Dream' CD peaks at #10.
1994: The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Green Day play the final day of Woodstock '94. Meanwhile, there is an alt.-Woodstock event held at the festival's original site with '69 Woodstock vets Country Joe McDonald, Ten Years After, Richie Havens and Sha Na Na.
1995: Foo Fighters made their network television debut on The Late Show with David Letterman when they performed their new single 'This Is A Call.'
1995: Saxon released the album 'Dogs Of War.' It was their last album with Graham Oliver on guitar.
1996: Soundgarden's 'Down On The Upside' is certified platinum. The album was released only two months earlier.
1997: After making their debut a month earlier, the White Stripes give their first full-length concert. They perform originals and covers, including The Stooges 'TV Eye,' at the Gold Dollar in Detroit.
1998: A three-day festival commemorating the 29th anniversary of Woodstock, 'A Day In The Garden,' is held in Bethel, NY (the original site). Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, Richie HavensPete Townshend, Ziggy Marley And The Melody Makers, The Goo Goo Dolls, Lou Reed, Donovan, Third Eye Blind, Marcy Playground, Joan Osborne, Dishwalla, and a re-formed Ten Years After hit the stage.
1999: Former Van Halen and Extreme singer Gary Cherone received the Courage Award from the American Life League for his stance against abortion.
2000: Rage Against The Machine play a concert outside the Democratic Convention in L.A. "(This is) for all the people who feel left out and excluded by the two major parties," says the group in a statement. "For those who feel they must settle for the 'lesser of two evils' (George Bush or Al Gore).
2001: A pizza-stained piece of paper signed by three of the four Beatles sold for $48,000 to an anonymous collector at an auction in Melbourne. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison all signed the paper during their 1964 tour of Australia. Drummer Ringo Starr had laryngitis and was not on the tour. A fan managed to get the autographs while the band was staying in a hotel in Adelaide.
2002: Guns N' Roses kick off the 2002 leg of 'Chinese Democracy' tour at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
2002: Dave Williams lead singer of Drowning Pool was found dead on the band's tour bus during Ozzy Osbourne's Ozzfest tour in Manassas, Virginia. The autopsy concluded that he suffered from a form of heart disease. The bands debut album, 'Sinner,' had sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. since its release in June 2001. His lifelong dream was to buy his parents a house and the sales from 'Sinema' fulfilled his dream posthumously.
2003: The Northeast Blackout of 2003 caused Bob Dylan, The Stooges & the Aerosmith/Kiss co-headlining tour to cancel tonight’s scheduled concerts.
2003: Sun Records becomes a National Historic Landmark. Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Johnny Cash and, of course, Elvis Presley started their careers there. Countless others recorded there before and after. It's the first recording studio to be named a Historic Landmark.
2004: Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts is reportedly being treated for throat cancer. Diagnosed in June, Watts undergoes radiotherapy treatment at London's Royal Marsden Hospital.
2005: U2 receive yet another award. Prior to their concert in Lisbon, the group is awarded Portugal's Order of Liberty medal for their commitment to charity. "Over the last 25 years the band has allied its public exposure gained through musical success with the defense of humanitarian causes and human rights," says a presidential spokeswoman. President Jorge Sampaio presents the medal.
2006: P.O.D. announce they have severed ties with their longtime label, Atlantic Records. "We've been proud to be Atlantic recording artists, but it's not the same place anymore," says a band statement. "We leave with grateful hearts."
2006: The Red Hot Chili Peppers single 'Tell Me Baby' premieres on MTV's TRL.
2006: Iron Maiden released the single 'The Reincarnation Of Benjamin Breeg.' The B-side was 'Hallowed Be Thy Name' from the BBC Radio 1 Legends Session. ‬
2006: Kinks frontman Ray Davies begins a five-day run as an instructor for a songwriting course in West Yorkshire, England.
2007: Ozzy Osbourne's 'I Don't Wanna Stop,' is heard on the in-game soundtrack of EA Sports Madden NFL 8 video game. Hellyeah and Queens Of The Stone Age are in the game too.
2007: KISS release 'Kissology Volume Two: 1978–1991.'
2008: Jackson Browne sues presidential candidate John McCain and the Republican National Committee for copyright infringement and violation of right of publicity. At issue is the use of 'Running On Empty' in a TV ad that attacks Democratic challenger Barack Obama's comments promoting gas conservation. Browne states the commercial is also misleading, implying that he endorses the Republican senator. Browne is a lifelong Democrat.
2009: 'It Might Get Loud,' an electric guitar-themed documentary that focuses on U2's the Edge, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and White Stripes/Raconteurs' Jack White, is screened in New York and L.A. Page debuts two songs in the film. "It was quite important, I felt, to actually have something that."
2009: Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose fills in for Tommy Lee on Motley Crue's tour. Lee severely burned his hand and doctors advised rest to let the wound heal. "We hope to have (Lee) back up on the drums ASAP," writes bassist Nikki Sixx in an online post. "Until then, he is at all the shows, jumping around, helping out with vocals and playing piano ever so lightly on 'Home Sweet Home'."
2009: Madden NFL 10 is released. The in-game soundtrack includes tunes by Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Black Sabbath, Beastie Boys, Slipknot and KoRn.
2010: Boston's Aerosmith and the J. Geils Band share the stage for the first time at a hometown concert. It takes place at the sold out Fenway Park show.
2012: John Geils, former guitarist for the semi-retired J. Geils Band, files suit against the other band members to stop them from touring under his name, since he had left the band. The remaining members of the band have continued to tour anyway.
2012: Loverboy release their 'Rock N' Roll Revival' album. It includes nine classic tracks re-done and three brand new songs.
2012: Incubus issue a live album and DVD, 'Incubus HQ Live.' The material was recorded the previous summer.
2012: Fozzy release their 'Sin and Bones' album. Motörhead's Phil Campbell is featured on the track, 'She's My Addiction.'
2012: Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose gets good news and bad news in his $20 million lawsuit against the makers of Guitar Hero III. A judge dismisses Rose's fraud claim, but keeps a breach-of-contract allegation against Activision Blizzard for including ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash in the video game.
2012: 'Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac' drops. Best Coast, Kills, New Pornographers and ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons are among those performing covers of Fleetwood Mac songs.
2013: Stone Temple Pilots with Linkin Park's Chester Bennington (replacing Scott Weiland) have the #1 song on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart with their debut single 'Out Of Time.' "We're really thankful to all the people listening to our music that made this happen," says STP's Robert DeLeo. "It feels great on so many levels." 2013: Lorde (real name is Ella Yelich-O'Conner) becomes the first female solo artist to top Billboard's Alternative Rock chart since Tracy Bonham did it with 'Mother Mother' 17 years earlier. 'Royals' is from Lorde's EP, 'The Love Club.'
2013: Black Sabbath are presented with double gold disc awards for their '13' album prior to the band's concert in Toronto.
2013: Anthrax confirm that guitarist Jon Donais is a full time member of the band. Donais replaced Rob Caggiano, who left the band to become a member of Volbeat.
2013: Allen Lanier, guitarist and keyboardist for Blue Öyster Cult, dies from complications from C.O.P.D. at 67. Lanier, a lifelong smoker, was a co-founder of BOC who also contributed to vital punk records by Patti Smith and the Clash. In fact, he and Smith became lovers, with Lanier giving her the pin seen on Smith’s jacket on the cover of Horses. He also recorded with poet-singer Jim Carroll and Iggy Pop.
2014: Paul McCartney led the final event held at San Francisco's Candlestick Park before it was to be torn down to make way for a housing, retail and entertainment development.
2015: Iron Maiden release their 42nd single, 'Speed of Light.' The song was written by Adrian Smith and Bruce Dickinson and was sold exclusively at Best Buy.
2016: Ringo Starr became the first Beatle to become a great grandfather when his granddaughter, Tatia Starkey, gave birth to Stone Zakamo Low. Tatia is the daughter of Ringo's son Zak Starkey.
2016: American keyboard and synthesizer player James Woolley died at the age of 49. Woolley was known for his playing with Nine Inch Nails as well as Rob Halford's one-time band 2wo, which also included John 5 of Marilyn Manson.
2017: Collectors from around the world gathered at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee to bid on pieces of Elvis Presley artifacts and memorabilia. All of the 315 items offered came from third-party collectors and not from the treasured Graceland Archives owned by Lisa Marie Presley.
2017: Just days after Ted Nugent claimed that his involvement with National Rifle Association has played a part in keeping him out of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, double inductee David Crosby wrote on his Twitter account that Ted "just isn't good enough."

August 15
1955: Elvis Presley signs a new contract that named Colonel Parker as "special advisor" with control of virtually every aspect of Elvis' career. Parker was not really a Colonel at all, but a Dutch immigrant named Andreas Cornelius van Kujik, whose honorary title was given to him in 1948 by Governor Jimmie Davis of Louisiana. He was a flamboyant promoter whose pre-Elvis experience included shows called The Great Parker Pony Circus and Tom Parker And His Dancing Turkeys and was a veteran of carnivals, medicine shows and more.
1955: After a suggestion that RCA bid $20,000 to land Elvis Presley, company executive Mitch Miller replies "No singer is worth that much."
1958: 21-year-old Buddy Holly was married to 25-year-old Maria Elena Santiago, a woman he had met just two months earlier at his childhood home in Lubbock, Texas.
1959: Ben E. King led The Drifters to the top of the Cashbox chart and #2 on Billboard with 'There Goes My Baby.' The record was one of the first to pair strings with a Black vocal group.
1960: Elvis Presley started a five week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'It's Now Or Never.' It has a five-week stay at #1 before being displaced by Chubby Checker's 'The Twist.' The record would have international sales of over 20 million and become a personal favorite of The King.
1964: After the success of The Beatles' first film, 'A Hard Day's Night,' United Artists signs The Dave Clark Five to a film project entitled 'Catch Us If You Can' (which was released in the U.S. as 'Having A Wild Weekend').
1965: The Beatles played at Shea Stadium for an audience of 56,000. The crowd set a record for attendance at a rock concert. A record setting $304,000 was taken in from the show, and the Beatles were paid $160,000. The set list included: ‘Twist and Shout,' ‘She's a Woman,' ‘I Feel Fine,' ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzie,' ‘Ticket to Ride,' ‘Can't Buy Me Love,' ‘Baby's In Black,' ‘I Wanna Be Your Man,' ‘A Hard Day's Night,' ‘Help!,' and ‘I'm Down.' Mick Jagger and Keih Richards of the Rolling Stones were in the audience and later that evening Bob Dylan visited The Beatles at their hotel.
1966: During a U.S. tour The Beatles appeared at the D.C. Stadium in Washington, DC to over 32,000 fans. Tickets cost $3. Five members of the Ku Klux Klan, led by the Imperial Wizard of Maryland, picketed the concert.
1966: Jefferson Airplane's debut album 'Jefferson Airplane Takes Off' is released. It reached #128 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience played a one night only show at The Fifth Dimension club in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The club is now demolished.
1967: Fleetwood Mac appeared at the Marquee Club in London.
1967: Billy Joe Royal's 'Hush' b/w 'Watching From The Bandstand' 45 single is released. It peaked at #52 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was later recorded by Deep Purple for their 1968 debut album 'Shades of Deep Purple.' The track became the group's first hit single peaking at #4 on the Hot 100.
1968: Janis Joplin/Big Brother And The Holding Company's 'Piece Of My Heart' b/w 'Turtle Blues' 45 single is released. This rendition of the song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns and originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967 made it to #12 on the U.S. pop chart.
1968: The Who headlined at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.
1968: Herman’s Hermits played at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia.
1969: Led Zeppelin perform at the Hemisfair Arena in San Antonio. Jethro Tull and Sweet Smoke were also on the bill. During the show Zeppelin received abuse from locals due to the length of their hair.
1969: Three Dog Night's self-titled LP is certified gold.
1969: The first Woodstock Festival kicked off in Bethel, New York. After 400,000 people showed up, it was declared a free festival. Woodstock Festival kicked off on Max Yasgur’s farm in Bethel, New York. The free event that included performances from Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Santana, The Who, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin and many others. Thirty-two acts performed during the sometimes rainy three day festival, and there were also three deaths, two births and four miscarriages. It is widely regarded as one of the most pivotal moments in popular music history and was listed among Rolling Stone’s 50 Moments that Changed the History of Rock and Roll.
1970: 'Looking Out My Back Door' by Credence Clearwater Revival enters the Billboard Hot 100 on its way to #2. Although some fans speculate that the song is about drugs because of its colorful, dream-like lyrics, writer John Fogerty said it was actually written for his then three-year old son, Josh.
1970: Derek and the Dominoes appeared at Tofts Club in Folkestone, England.
1970: Melody Maker says “Make way for the Townshend brothers!” in an article about Pete Townshend recording his brothers Simon and Paul. Around this time, Pete buys a large American van he dubs “Maxine” which he drives everywhere. The van’s size, comfort and air-conditioning inspire Pete to imagine a heavily-polluted world where people travel and live in sealed vans. The idea sparks the song 'Going Mobile' and becomes one of the ideas behind the Lifehouse project.
1970: The New Haven Jaycees produced four summer “pop” concerts at the Yale Bowl in New Haven Connecticut. Led Zeppelin performs one of those shows on this date. Tickets were $5 and $6.50.
1971: The Who performs at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1971: Black Sabbath‬ played at the Long Island Arena in ‪‎Commack, New York.‬
1971: Pink Floyd played at the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia.
1971: The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Academy of Music in New York.
1971: The Grateful Dead played at the Community Theatre in Berkeley, California.
1972: Deep Purple appeared at the Kōsei Nenkin Kaikan in Osaka, Japan.
1972: The Band's 5th album, 'Rock of Ages: The Band in Concert' is released. It reached #6 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. These recordings took place at the Academy of Music in New York City December 28 through 31, 1971.
1973: Baltimore, Maryland declares today "Cass Elliot Day" in honor of the native singer for The Mamas & The Papas.
1974: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York.
1975: David Bowie’s single 'Fame' is released and becomes his first U.S. #1.
1975: Bad Company's 'Feel Like Makin' Love' b/w 'Wild Fire Women' 45 single is released in the UK. It peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US; #20 on the UK singles chart. The song was named the 78th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.
1975: Rod Stewart's 6th album 'Atlantic Crossing' is released. It reached #9 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart.
1975: Eric Clapton appeared at Swing Auditorium in San Bernardino, California.
1976: Kansas played at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.
1976: 'The World Series of Rock #3' concert with Yes, Peter Frampton, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Gary Wright took place at Hawthorne Race Track in Stickney, Illinois. It was originally slated for Comiskey Park in Chicago on Aug. 13, but two fires that started in the upper deck during the July 10 World Series of Rock concert featuring Aerosmith, Jeff Beck with the Jan Hammer Group, Rick Derringer while Beck and Hammer were playing caused the cancellation of that original date. Local opposition almost prevented the concert from happening, but a court battle emerged, with a judge allowing the concert to proceed with a 6pm curfew. Yes couldn't use their laser show because they played during daylight.
1976: Jethro Tull, Robin Trower, Rory Gallagher and Starcastle played the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, CA.
1977: Yes performed at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island.
1978: Scorpions release the live album 'Tokyo Tapes' in Japan.
1979: The futuristic satire film 'Americathon' (also known as Americathon 1998) premiered in Los Angeles featuring Meat Loaf. The soundtrack included songs by The Beach Boys, Nick Lowe and Elvis Costello.
1979: Led Zeppelin releases their 8th and final studio album 'In Through The Out Door.' It would be the last album released by the band while John Bonham was still alive. The LP entered the charts at #1 in both America and England and featured the Top 40 single, 'Fool in the Rain.' The album remained on the U.S. top spot for seven weeks and sold over six million copies. When it was released, Led Zeppelin's entire catalog reached the Billboard 200 charts between the weeks of October 23 and November 3, 1979, an unprecedented feat.
1980: George Harrison published his first book, 'I Me Mine.' It's a collection of song lyrics and reflections on his religious beliefs.
1980: John Lennon enters the Record Plant Studios in New York to record his "comeback" album, 'Double Fantasy.'
1980: Van Halen played at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1980: ACDC with special guest Nantucket played Freedom Hall in Johnson City, TN.
1980: The Cars 3rd studio album 'Panorama' is released. It reached #5 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, and features the single, 'Touch and Go,' which reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1981: Billy Ryan, Jimmy Hall, Leon Russell, the Allman Brothers Band, Charlie Daniels Band, and Cheap Trick performed at Alabama Jam 2, held at Ladd Memorial Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.
1981: The Kinks release their 18th full-length album, 'Give the People What They Want.' It reached #15 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart.
1981: Pretenders 2nd album, 'Pretenders II' is released. It reached #10 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
1981: Pat Benatar reached #1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart for the first and only time with 'Precious Time' which spent one week on top of the chart.
1982: Roxy Music played at the Royal Dublin Society in Dublin, Ireland.
1983: Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone had a four hour emergency brain surgery to remove blood clots after being kicked in the head repeatedly in a fight. The Ramones would name their next album 'Too Tough to Die' in his honor.
1983: The Police's most popular song, 'Every Breath You Take,' is certified gold by the record industry.
1983: Cheap Trick released their 7th studio album, 'Next Position Please.' It was produced by Todd Rundgren.
1983: AC/DC release their 8th studio album, 'Flick of the Switch.' The album reached number 15 on the #Billboard chart.
1984: Simple Minds appeared at the Pine Knob Music Theatre in Clarkston, Michigan.
1984: Rock 'n Roll musician Norman Petty dies of leukemia in Lubbock, Texas, at age 57. Petty is best known as Buddy Holly's recording engineer and first manager.
1985: Dio released their 3rd studio album, 'Sacred Heart.' The album reached #29 on the Billboard chart. It would be the last Dio album with Vivian Campbell on guitar.
1986: ZZ Top performed at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
1987: In Montreal, Keith Richards began work on his first solo album, 'Talk Is Cheap.'
1987: Sammy Hagar peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with 'I Never Said Goodbye,' which was the only solo album Hagar released when he was in Van Halen.
1989: Aerosmith‬ released the single 'Love In An Elevator.'
1991: Paul Simon played a free concert in New York’s Central Park to an estimated audience of 750,000 people. The performance was released later in the year as 'Paul Simon's Concert in the Park.'
1991: Nirvana plays a concert at The Roxy Theater in Los Angeles, where they invite fans to attend the shoot for their first video, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit,' which they are filming two days later. Response is overwhelming, and hundreds of fans have to be turned away.
1992: INXS went to #1 on the UK album chart with 'Welcome To Whoever You Are,' their first British chart topping album.
1995: Mötley Crüe vocalist Vince Neil’s four-year-old daughter died of multiple organ failure in Los Angeles.
1995: The Dublin hotel owned by U2 'The Clarence' was damaged by a fire which took over three hours to control. Also 'The Kitchen' nightclub in the same building was affected by the fire and was evacuated.
1995: The Dave Matthews Band performs at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver. The show is released as 'Live At Red Rocks 8-15-95.'
1997: Ozzy Osbourne's 'Blizzard Of Ozz,' 'No Rest For The Wicked' and 'Tribute' are certified multi-platinum sellers, with Ozzy's solo debut 'Blizzard Of Ozz' certified quadruple platinum (4 million in sales).
1997: The Donnas sign with Lookout! Records.
1997: Tony Nicole of Tony Records filed a lawsuit against Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley for alleged intentional interference with Peter Criss’ contract with the label. The lawsuit claimed Simmons & Stanley convinced Criss to break his contract with the label.
2000: David Bowie and his wife Iman celebrated the birth of their first child, a baby girl named Alexandria Zahra Jones.
2000: The estate of Jimi Hendrix acquires jimihendrix.com, which was registered in 1996 by a domainer who was using it to sell email addresses (youname@jimihendrix.com). This is one of many cases that ruled against registrants who were squatting names of famous people.
2001: 'Heavier Than Heaven' is published. The result of over 400 interviews, the Kurt Cobain biography was written by Charles R. Cross.
2001: Peter Frampton made a guest appearance on Family Guy. When Death visited Frampton’s house, Frampton said Death should be at Keith Richards’ house, which was a joke pitched by Frampton himself.
2002: A candlelight vigil to celebrate 25 years since the death of Elvis Presley began at his Graceland mansion in Memphis.
2002: A memorial to John Lennon was unveiled in Durness, Scotland. As a young boy, Lennon spent his summers in the village from age seven to fifteen. The lyrics from 'In My Life' had been inscribed on three stones.
2004: At their Coventry Festival in the group's home state of Vermont, Phish play what they say is their last show, ending with the song "The Curtain With." The breakup proves temporary: in 2009, the band gets back together.
2005: United National Insurance Company sues Limp Bizkit to avoid paying court costs the group accrued defending itself from wrongful-death claims. A 16-year-old fan was crushed during the 2001 Big Day Out festival in Sydney, Australia. The case against the group was dismissed. The insurance company says it doesn't have to cover the band's legal fees because frontman Fred Durst had incited the crowd during the performance.
2005: Crossfade's 2004 self-titled album is certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. "Our fans include all these young girls who think Ed (singer/guitarist Ed Sloan) is hot and their dads who like our music," says bassist Mitch James.
2005: Ozzy Osbourne announces he will no longer headline Ozzfest. "After 10 years, the Ozzfest's name and reputation has been established," says Osbourne in an online statement. Plagued by voice/throat problems while fronting Black Sabbath on the 2005 trek, Osbourne says he will only play selected Ozzfest dates in the future.
2005: System Of A Down team up with Amnesty International to call for the release of 30-year-old Christian evangelical church singer Helen Berhane. She is being detained in the African nation of Eritrea. "I've been a member of Amnesty for a long time and I appreciate what Amnesty does," says SOAD vocalist Serj Tankian.
2006: Breaking Benjamin's 3rd album, 'Phobia,' sells 125,000 copies in its first week to reach #2 on the Billboard 200 chart. "We kind of tried to bridge the gap between the first and second records," says bassist Mike James. "A lot of our hard-core fans missed the heaviness and rawness of the first record."
2006: Disturbed frontman David Draiman goes under the knife to repair a deviated septum caused by three previous broken noses. The condition adversely affected the singer's voice, forcing the band to cancel a number of gigs.
2006: A two-disc version of Sublime's self-titled 1996 album is released. The collection's first disc is sequenced in the order that late frontman Brad Nowell originally intended. Disc two has eight previously unreleased tracks.
2006: A deluxe version of Lou Reed's 1976 album 'Coney Island Baby' is issued (celebrating the 30th anniversary of the disc's release).
2007: Sixteen solo John Lennon albums were made available to download on iTunes for the first time. A deal was approved by the late Beatle's widow Yoko Ono following a lengthy legal battle between the band's label Apple Corps and Apple Inc, which owned Tunes. More on John Lennon
2008: U.S. record producer Jerry Wexler, who influenced the careers of singers including Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Bob Dylan, died at his home in Sarasota, Florida aged 91. Wexler produced the Aretha Franklin hit 'Respect,' the Wilson Pickett song, 'In the Midnight Hour' and helped Bob Dylan win his first Grammy award by producing the 1979 album, 'Slow Train Coming.' He also produced the Allman Brothers, Led Zeppelin, Dire Straits and Dusty Springfield. Wexler was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987. He also coined the term ‘rhythm and blues’ while writing for Billboard magazine in the late 1940's.
2008: Disappointed that 30 Seconds To Mars has failed/refused to deliver contracted albums, Virgin Records sues the band and frontman Jared Leto for $30 million.
2008: Marilyn Manson announce that former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland has joined the group. "(Borland) used to be in a really terrible band that he left because he felt that it was a destructive force in art," says Manson at a press conference. "But now he is in Marilyn Manson." Borland plays his first show with the band in Seoul, Korea.
2009: U2's first UK gig on their current tour broke the attendance record for a Wembley Stadium concert. Over 88,000 people attended the show. Their "claw" set design allows more fans to fit in the stadium and break Rod Stewart's record of 83,000 set in 1995.
2009: An acoustic version of the title track from Sister Hazel's '09 album 'Release' is available as a download. It's part of their partnership with the Ford Motor Company to promote the Sync My Ride website.
2009: The Bethel Woods Music Festival in Bethel, NY commemorates the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, which took place at the same site. Several musicians who performed at the 1969 festival return. The bill includes Jefferson Starship, Mountain, The Band's Levon Helm, Big Brother & The Holding Co., Country Joe McDonald, Canned Heat and Ten Years After. Mountain's Leslie West gets married onstage after the group's performance. Jenni Maurer is the bride.
2011: KISS was cut from a Michael Jackson tribute concert because of comments made by bassist Gene Simmons last year when he told Classic Rock magazine "No matter what my fond memories and fond images of Michael were, with one allegation of pedophilia after another and another and another... Oh dear."
2012: 'Gene Simmons Family Jewels' is canceled by A&E after seven seasons. The show chronicled the life of the KISS bassist and his family. Simmons' business commitments, including a KISS tour, are listed among the reasons for the cancellation.
2012: Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley made a surprise visit to Graceland on the eve of the 35th anniversary of Elvis' death. The pair spoke to the surprised crowd from an elevated platform where Lisa Marie said "I've always avoided this because I felt that it would be too emotional, but I really felt it was important to come down here tonight."
2012: The Silversun Pickups issue a cease and desist letter demanding that Mitt Romney's presidential campaign immediately stop the use of the group's song 'Panic Switch.' No problem. Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul writes in an email that the song was inadvertently played during the setup for an event before Romney arrived.
2012: 56-year-old Bob Birch, who had been Elton John's bass player since 1992, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He had also performed with Bryan Adams, Lionel Richie, George Michael, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Phil Collins and dozens of other top recording stars despite suffering the effects of being hit by a pick-up truck while walking in 1995.
2012 Members of the metal band Baroness are injured when their tour bus falls off the road while traveling in England. Lead singer John Baizley's left arm is shattered and his left leg broken; drummer Allen Blickle and bass player Matt Maggioni each suffer spinal fractures. Baizley manages to keep his arm and resume his duties as frontman/guitarist, but Blickle and Maggioni leave the band.
2014: Accept release their 14th studio album, 'Blind Rage.'
2017: Red Hot Chili Peppers bassists Flea condemns the removal of music education from schools as “child abuse.” He believes it’s almost certain President Donald Trump’s administration will enforce further funding cuts. To support music education, Flea launched L.A.’s Silverlake Conservatory of Music in ’01.

August 16
1938: American blues musician Robert Johnson died (probably poisoned by a jealous husband) at the age of 27 at a country crossroads near Greenwood, Mississippi. His recordings from 1936 - 1937 have influenced generations of musicians.
1957: Buddy Holly's group The Crickets play the first show of a six-night engagement at Harlem's Apollo Theater. They were booked due to confusion with a black group (led by Dean Barlow) that was also called The Crickets. Nonetheless, Holly and his band win over the crowd.
1957: For his first effort at Imperial Records, Ricky Nelson records 'Be Bop Baby,' which already has 750,000 advance orders. The song will go on to sell over a million copies and reach #3 on the Billboard chart.
1958: After being drafted in the U.S. Army, Elvis Presley was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, West Germany.
1962: Beatles manager Brian Epstein fired drummer Pete Best. Epstein then asked Best to perform with The Beatles that night at the Riverpark Ballroom in Chester, Cheshire. Pete Best does not show up, drummer Johnny Hutchinson of The Big Three filled in the temporary vacancy.
1962: Peter, Paul And Mary released their first U.S. Top 10 hit, 'If I Had a Hammer,' a standard Folk song that had been around since 1949.
1963: Jack Ely, the Kingsmen vocalist who sang 'Louie, Louie,' leaves the group before the song becomes a hit.
1964: The Who played at the Opera House in Blackpool in Lancashire, England.
1965: David Jones’ official stage name became David Bowie.
1966: During a U.S. tour, The Beatles performed at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia playing their set during a huge electric storm.
1966: The Monkees 'Last Train to Clarksville' b/w 'Take a Giant Step' 45 single is released. Written by the legendary songwriting team of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, it was the debut single by The Monkees. The song was recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood, on July 25, 1966. and was already on the Boss Hit Bounds on August 17, 1966. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 on November 5, 1966.
1967: Pink Floyd were in Studio 3 at EMI Studios on Abbey Road, St. John’s Wood, London recording material for 'Saucerful of Secrets.'
1968: Jimi Hendrix appeared at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland.
1968: Working at Abbey Road studios, The Beatles recorded 14 takes of the new George Harrison song 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', taking the song from its early acoustic version into an electric version.
1968: Bruce Springsteen’s new band Earth made their live debut at the Off Broad Street Coffee House in Red Bank, New Jersey, admission was 75c. The lineup of the group consisted of Springsteen (guitars & vocals), John Graham (bass), Michael Burke (drums) and ‘Flash Craig’ (organ). The group only had a 6-month existence.
1968: Pink Floyd play the first of two nights at Sound Factory in Sacramento, California. Also on the bill are Initial Shock and AB Skhy Blues Band.
1968: The Who with special guests Quicksilver Messenger Service played Selland Arena in Fresno, CA.
1969: On day two of Woodstock in Bethel, New York performances include Country Joe McDonald, Santana, John Sebastian, Canned Heat, Mountain, Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, Sly & the Family Stone, The Who and Jefferson Airplane. During The Who’s set, Abbie Hoffman interrupts their set and grabs the microphone. After saying a few words about fellow activist John Sinclair, Pete Townshend hits him with his guitar. During the Grateful Dead's performance there were electrical problems, as well as rain, and possibly the band performing while having taken a lot of acid. The Dead were not pleased with the performance, and have not al,lowed it to be published. Nor was it in the concert film.
1969: The Beckenham Arts Lab holds the Free Festival in Beckenham, London. One one of the performers is David Bowie, who memorializes the concert in his song "Memory of a Free Festival." The festival is largely forgotten by history, probably because it happened at the same exact time as Woodstock in the United States.
1969: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performed at the Auditorium Theater in Chicago, Illinois with opener Joni Mitchell.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park with Joe Cocker as support. Zeppelin had been asked to perform at Woodstock but due to this gig commitment were unable to attend.
1969: The Guess Who's 'These Eye' is certified gold.
1969: Bruce Springsteen's band Child played the first of two shows over two days at the Student Prince, Ashbury Park. Springsteen was also unable to attend Woodstock due to these gigs.
1969: Hippie leader Abbie Hoffman was knocked offstage by Pete Townshend while attempting to make a political statement during the Who's set at Woodstock. Later, Townshend said he didn't know it was Hoffman at the time.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park with Joe Cocker as support. Zeppelin had been asked to perform at Woodstock but due to this gig commitment were unable to attend.
1969: Blind Faith performed at the Earl Warren Fairgrounds in Santa Barbara, California.
1970: The final day of the three day UK Yorkshire Folk, Blues & Jazz Festival at Krumlin, Yorkshire took place featuring The Kinks, Mungo Jerry, Yes, Ginger Bakers Air Force and Edgar Winter.
1971: The Who and Wishbone Ash perform at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Illinois.
1974: The Ramones played the New York club CBGB for the first time.
1975: Peter Gabriel announced that he was leaving Genesis. The group auditioned more than 400 singers during the next 18 months before deciding that Phil Collins, who had been the drummer for Genesis since 1970, could front the band.
1975: Eric Clapton performed at the San Diego Sports Arena.
1976: AC/DC appeared at the Marquee Club in London.
1976: Yes plays at the Mecca Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1977: Elvis Presley died. Although many suspect Elvis accidentally administered himself a drug overdose, the official verdict was coronary arrhythmia. He was found dead lying on the floor in his bathroom by his girlfriend Ginger Alden, he had been seated on the toilet reading 'The Scientific Search For Jesus'. He was 42. After an examination, it was revealed that Presley's body contained butabarbital, codeine, morphine, pentobarbital, Placidyl, Quaalude, Valium and Valmid.
1979: The Knack's single 'My Sharona' was awarded a gold record for one million in sales. Doug Fieger wrote the song for his girlfriend Sharona Alperin, who's picture is also on the album's cover
1979: A disco version of KISS' 'I Was Made For Lovin' You' goes gold.
1980: Drummer Bill Ward left Black Sabbath for the first time.
1980: Rainbow, Judas Priest, Scorpions, Saxon‬, April Wine, Riot and more‬ played ‪Monsters Of Rock‬ at ‪Donington‬, ‎England‬. After the show, Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell, decides to leave the group.
1980: The Allman Brothers Band appeared at the Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.
1981: Foreigner played at Zeppelinfeld in Nuremberg, Germany.
1982: Blue Oyster Cult performed at the Blossom Music Center in Akron, Ohio.
1982: Motley Crue released their 1st single, 'Live Wire.'
1983: Paul Simon marries Carrie Fisher, famous for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars series. Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels is Simon's best man; Penny Marshall is Fisher's maid of honor. Guests include Robin Williams, Billy Joel and his wife Christie Brinkley, Randy Newman and George Lucas. The couple split up a year later, but resume their relationship in less formal terms throughout much of the '80s.
1983: Stray Cats 3rd album 'Rant n' Rave With the Stray Cats' is released. It reached #27 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, and features the Billboard Hot 100 singles, '(She's) Sexy + 17' (#5) and 'I Won't Stand in Your Way' (#36).
1985: Pantera's 3rd studio album 'I Am The Night' is released. It's the last to feature lead singer Terry Glaze (who is subsequently replaced by Phil Anselmo).
1986: MTV airs the Rap/Rock hybrid 'Walk This Way' with Run DMC and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. It revives Aerosmith's career and brings Rap to a white audience.
1986: David Lee Roth kicked off his first solo tour at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, VA.
1986: Def Leppard performed their first concert in the U.K. since drummer Rick Allen lost his arm in a car accident at the Monsters of Rock festival. The headliner was Ozzy Osbourne and other acts on the bill included the Scorpions and Motorhead.
1986: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts from Eddie Money’s 'Take Me Home Tonight' at #92 & Genesis’ 'Throwing It All Away' #54. Also, Loverboy’s 'Heaven In Your Eyes' was #44, Run-D.M.C. & Aerosmith’s 'Walk This Way' #30, David Lee Roth’s 'Yankee Rose' #23, and Journey’s 'Suzanne' #17. ‬
1988: KISS played at the Marquee Club in London, England on their current 129-date Crazy Nights world tour.
1989: Red Hot Chili Peppers release their 4th studio album 'Mother's Milk.' It reached #52 on the Billboard 200. The album, containing a cover of Stevie Wonder's 'Higher Ground,' and 'Knock Me Down' is the group's first with guitarist John Frusciante.
1991: Aerosmith re-signed with former label Columbia Records for a four album deal which came into effect in 1995 as they were still under contract with Geffen Records at the time. The deal gave them a $10 million advance per album and 22% of royalties for album sales.
1991: Van Halen kicked off their tour in support of 'For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge' at the Lakewood Amphitheater in Atlanta. Alice in Chains was the opening act on this tour.
1994: A New Orleans Municipal Court judge drops public drunkenness and disturbing the peace charges against Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder. The charges stemmed from an incident the previous year. Vedder was out with Chicago White Sox pitcher Jack McDowell at a bar in New Orleans’ French Quarter.
1994: Savatage released their 8th studio album, 'Handful of Rain.'
1994: Peter Hill released his 4th solo album, 'Cat #1.'
1995: Melissa Etheridge's 'Yes I Am' reaches the 5 million sales mark. The album was released in late 1993.
1995: The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson performs for the first time in concert with his daughters Carnie and Wendy, of Wilson-Phillips.
1997: On the 20th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death over 30,000 fans descended on Memphis Tennessee for a 10-minute mourning circuit circling his grave. A poll found that almost a third of the fans were keeping an eye out for him in the crowd.
2000: INXS cancelled their New Zealand tour due to poor ticket sales. The four-date trek was to be their first since the death of Michael Hutchence with new singer Jon Stevens.
2002: Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi filed a suit against a Bridgeville, Pennsylvania bar for allegedly playing their music without a license. The two New Jersey rockers sought between $7500 and 30,000 dollars in damages.
2002: Jimi Hendrix’s brother, Leon, sued for his share of the Hendrix estate. Jimi originally left control of his legacy to his dad, Al. When Al Hendrix died in April 2002, he gave everything to his daughter, Janie. Leon claimed all he received was a gold record.
2002: The Rolling Stones played a "secret" gig in Toronto to warm up for their 40th anniversary tour.
2004: Guitarist Wes Borland officially rejoins Limp Bizkit, replacing Mike Smith. According to frontman Fred Durst, who made the announcement online, Smith "wasn't where we needed him to be mentally." Borland left Bizkit in 2003.
2005: Taproot's 3rd album, 'Blue-Sky Research' is released. Smashing Pumpkins head honcho Billy Corgan contributes vocals and guitar.
2005: L.A. Guns released the album 'Tales From The Strip.'
2005: The NBC reality show 'Tommy Lee Goes To College' debuts. The program follows Lee as he attends University of Nebraska in Lincoln.
2005: 'Motley Crue In The Studio' is released. The book covers the writing and recording of the group's albums as well as various solo efforts.
2005: Staind's 5th album, 'Chapter V,' sells 185,000 copies in its first week to top the Billboard 200 Album Chart. It's the 3rd straight time the group has had a #1 debut.
2005: Green Day wins in the Choice Music: Single category with 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' at the Teen Choice Awards in L.A.
2006: Mick Jagger fails to recover from his bout with laryngitis forcing the Rolling Stones to cancel a second show in Spain on their European tour.
2007: 'How Long,' the lead single from The Eagles 'Long Road Out Of Eden,' hits radio. The album lands a month and a half later.
2008: Queens Of The Stone Age play a benefit concert in L.A. paying tribute to late touring member Natasha Shneider, who lost her battle with cancer the previous month.
2009: Ted Nugent, who is fervently anti-Obama, is fired from writing op-ed columns for the Waco Tribune-Herald. Since 2007 the Texas newspaper had regularly featured his work. Nugent was told by the paper's new owners to curtail overt negative criticisms. "It is impossible for me to fathom any American to tone down what is in his heart and soul," says Nuge.
2009: Corey Taylor, Aaron Lewis, Ace Frehley, Steven Adler and members of Shinedown and Buckcherry perform at the Ride for Dime 5 BBQ & Bash All Star Jam in Dallas. The event honors late Pantera/Damageplan guitarist 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott and raises money for select charities.
2011: Thousands of silent mourners paid their respects to Elvis Presley at his gravesite at Graceland, on the 34th anniversary of his death. Flower arrangements and heart-shaped wreaths decorated the burial site as Presley's music played softly in the background.
2012: Paul McCartney joins other musicians in calling for clemency in the case of Russian punk group Pussy Riot. The three female band members are on trial for staging a protest against President Vladimir Putin in Moscow's Christ the Saviour Cathedral. "I would like you to know that I very much hope the Russian authorities would support the principle of free speech for all their citizens and not feel that they have to punish you for your protest," McCartney writes in a open letter to the group. The next day, the group is convicted of "hooliganism driven by religious hatred and offending religious believers" and receive two year sentence.
2012: The 5th annual Sunset Strip Music Festival celebrates the music and legacy of The Doors. Many of the artists who perform at the three-day event cover Doors songs. Marilyn Manson, The Offspring, Bad Religion, Black Label Society are among the acts appearing.
2015: Actor Johnny Depp joins Gene Simmons, former Guns N' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke and Mr. Big drummer Matt Starr for a charity concert in Hollywood. Proceeds go to Mending Kids, an organization that helps provide free "life-changing surgical care to children worldwide."

August 17
1955: Elvis Presley released what would become his first #1 hit, 'I Forgot to Remember to Forget/Mystery Train.' It hit the top of the country charts several months later and stayed there for 5 weeks.
1960: The Beatles began a 48 show, three-month residency at Hamburg’s Indra Club. It was the first time they played under their new name. Club owner Bruno Koschmider asked The Beatles to "Mach Shau", or really put on a show, which led to the band screaming, shouting, and leaping about the stage and sometimes playing lying on the floor. John Lennon once appeared wearing only his underwear and wore a toilet seat around his neck on another occasion. The Beatles stayed in a single room behind the screen of a nearby movie house.
1962: A riot breaks out during a Gary U.S. Bonds performance at the Boston Arena.
1963: Rory Storm And The Hurricanes, Gus Travis And The Raincoats and Johnny Sandon And The Remo 4 all appeared at the Royal Lido, Prestatyn, Wales, in a Merseybeat package show. Tickets are 5 shillings, ($0.70).
1963: The Beach Boys played the Wayne County Fair in Honesdale, PA.
1964: Glasgow council in Scotland announce that all boys and men with Beatle styled haircuts will have to wear bathing caps after a committee was told that hair from ‘Beatle-cuts’ was clogging the public pools filters.
1964: The Kinks release the single, 'You Really Got Me.'
1965: The Byrds were forced to cancel a concert during their UK tour at The Guildhall, Portsmouth, when only 250 of the 4,000 tickets were sold.
1966: The Beatles played two shows at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto. The attendance for each show was 18,000.
1966: During a press conference in Toronto (where the group was scheduled to play that night) The Beatles create more controversy by siding with American "draft dodgers" who moved to Toronto rather than be sent to Vietnam. John Lennon jokes, "Ah, we've had it in Memphis now," referring to the death threats received there after his "bigger than Jesus" statement.
1968: The Doors started a four-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart with 'Waiting For The Sun.' The group's 3rd album spawned their second U.S. #1 single, 'Hello, I Love You.' After charges of plagiarism, UK courts would rule that the tune was lifted from The Kinks' 'All Day and All of the Night' and British royalties would go to Ray Davies.
1968: The Rascals (formally the Young Rascals), started a five week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'People Got To Be Free.' It will be awarded a Gold record a week later, eventually selling over 4 million copies. The group had 13 US top 40 hits.
1968: Deep Purple's 'Hush' is released in the U.S., where it will climb to #4 by mid-September.
1968: 'Wheels of Fire' by Cream enters its 2nd week at #1 on the U.S. album charts.
1968: The Who perform at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in Phoenix, Arizona.
1969: The final day of the 3 day Woodstock festival took place at Max Yasgur's farm in Bethel, New York. Acts who appeared included The Who (who actually started at 5am), Jefferson Airplane, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Jimi Hendrix, John Sebastian, Sha Na Na, Joe Cocker, Country Joe and the Fish, The Band, Ten Years After, Johnny Winter and Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Over 186,000 tickets had been sold but on the first day the flimsy fences and ticket barriers had come down. Organizers announced the concert would be a free event, prompting thousands more to head for the concert. There were two deaths, a teenager was killed by a tractor as he lay in his sleeping bag and another died from a drug overdose.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at Oakland Musical Theatre in Wallingford, Connecticut.
1970: Led Zeppelin performed at the Hampton Roads Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia. The concert was rescheduled from August 10th.
1970: Christine McVie joined her husband John’s band, Fleetwood Mac.
1970: The Band's 3rd album, 'Stage Fright' is released. It reached #5 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. The single, 'Time to Kill' reached #77 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1971: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Boston Commons in Boston, Massachusetts. Duane played 'Soul Serenade' on slide guitar in tribute to King Curtis, who died four days earlier. J. Geils played on 'Stormy Monday.' Wet Willie opened.
1972: Deep Purple performs the last of three shows at the Nippon Budokan arena in Tokyo. These recordings were used in the 'Made in Japan' live album.
1973: KISS appeared at The Daisy in Amityville, New York.
1973: The Rolling Stones 'Angie' b/w 'Silver Train' 45 single is released in the UK. It hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached #5 on the UK singles chart. The song was also a #1 hit in both Canada and Australia for five weeks each and topped the charts in many countries throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Popular belief has it that the song was about David Bowie's first wife Angela or even about actress Angie Dickinson. Another belief was that the song was about Richards' daughter Dandelion Angela who had just been born. The song was written almost entirely both lyrically and musically by Keith Richards and in Richards' own biography he claims that the name Angie is a pseudonym for heroin and his attempt to quit while detoxing in Switzerland.
1974: Pink Floyd released their album 'Atom Heart Mother.'
1974: Fleetwood Mac successfully got an injunction against another band touring with the same name.
1974: Eric Clapton started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart with '461 Ocean Boulevard.' The house featured on the album cover is 461 Ocean Boulevard in the town of Golden Beach, Florida near Miami where Clapton lived while making the album.
1974: Following Rick Wakeman’s departure, Patrick Moraz was hired as a keyboardist for Yes.
1974: Nottingham England's Paper Lace had Billboard's top tune with a song about a gangster shootout called 'The Night Chicago Died.' After the song became a hit, the band's manager contacted Chicago's mayor Richard Daley, hoping for a civic reception. What they got instead was 'a rather rude letter', ending in ...are you nuts?' Adding to the band's woes, they were forbidden to perform the song 'live' in America at the height of its popularity because of contract issues.
1974: Bad Company's 'Can't Get Enough' is released.
1974: Aerosmith played at the Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia.
1975: Blue Oyster Cult appeared at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.
1976: Yes performed at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
1976: A fanzine called Sniffin' Glue, which chronicled of the early days of British Punk Rock, is first published in the UK. Although initial issues only sold about 50 copies, circulation soon increased to 15,000. Fearing absorption into the mainstream music press, publisher Mark Perry would cease operations in September of '77.
1977: Rush headlined at RKO Orpheum Theatre in Davenport, Iowa.
1977: The day after Elvis died, President Jimmy Carter commemorated “The King,” saying, “Elvis Presley’s death deprives our country of a part of itself. He was unique and irreplaceable. More than 20 years ago, he burst upon the scene with an impact that was unprecedented and will probably never be equaled. His music and his personality, fusing the styles of white country and black rhythm and blues, permanently changed the face of American popular culture. His following was immense and he was a symbol to people the world over, of the vitality, rebelliousness and good humor of his country.” Not surprisingly, FTD has their busiest day ever delivering flowers to Graceland.
1979: The New York Post reports that Keith Richards's wife Anita Pallenberg was linked to a witches coven in South Salem, New York where Richards owned a house. A policeman claimed he was attackec by a flock of black-hooded, caped people and a local youth claimed he had been invited by Pallenberg to take part in "pot smoking sex orgies." Locals also claimed they found ‘ritualistic stakes’ and small animals that had been ‘sacrificed’ near the house.
1980: At the Toledo Speedway Jam II in Toledo, Ohio, ZZ Top headlines the show with AC/DC, Sammy Hagar and Humble Pie on the undercard. (Also advertised on the poster: 800 kegs of beer, drinking age 18 in Ohio!) It would be the last time AC/DC would be a support act until 2003, when they open for The Rolling Stones.
1980: The Grateful Dead appeared at Municipal Auditorium Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
1981: Devo's 'Working In The Coal Mine' b/w 'Planet Earth' 45 single is released. It was later included in the sound tracks for the films 'Heavy Metal' and 'Employee of the Month.' It peaked on the Hot 100 at #43 and was a top 10 single in New Zealand.
1982: ZZ Top played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario.
1983: David Bowie performed at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Arizona.
1983: Quiet Riot played the Royal Manor on Brunswick, NJ.
1984: Bruce Springsteen appeared at Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
1984: W.A.S.P. released their self titled debut album. The original vinyl release had 'Winged Assassins' printed on it.‬ The album reached #74 on the #Billboard chart.‬
1984: At the outset of his latest world tour, a fatigued Elton John announces his upcoming retirement, which, like so many before and after, wouldn't take.
1985: ZZ Top headlines the Monster of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the U.K. Their bill includes Marillion, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Ratt and Magnum.
1985: Motley Crue with special guest Loudness played the St. Paul Civic Center in St. Paul, MN.
1987: Session drummer Gary Chester (born Cesario Gurciullo) dies of cancer. He was 62. Chester had been a member of The Coasters and a host of other acts who fronted bands consisting of studio musicians to record their hits, such as the Mamas & the Papas, the Monkees and the Lovin’ Spoonful. He played on many major hits including Van Morrison’s 'Brown Eyed Girl,' The Drifters 'Under The Boardwalk,' Dionne Warwick’s 'Walk On By' and Leslie Gore’s 'It’s My Party.' He played on literally hundreds of records and claimed to have logged some 15,000 studio sessions over three decades.
1988: Guns N' Roses release the 3rd single from their debut album 'Appetite For Destruction.' 'Sweet Child O' Mine' becomes the group's only U.S. #1 single.
1989: Eagles' drummer Don Henley expresses his displeasure over Joe Walsh performing 'Life In The Fast Lane' while touring with Ringo Starr. "He wrote the little guitar riff in the intro and that's all", complained Henley.
1989: The Who's Pete Townshend injures his right hand playing 'Won't Get Fooled Again' during a show at the Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, WA. He's doing his signature windmill guitar move. After the concert Townshend was treated at Tacoma’s St. Joseph Hospital with cuts on his finger & palm.
1991: Bonnie Raitt's album 'Luck Of The Draw' is #2 in the U.S. Keeping it out of the top spot is Natalie Cole's 'Unforgettable With Love.'
1991: AC/DC headlines the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the U.K. with Metallica, Mötley Crüe, Queensrÿche and The Black Crowes rounding out the bill. This was the first & only time in the festival’s history that every band on the bill had a Platinum album in the U.S.
1991: Nirvana shot the video for 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' at GMT Studios in Culver City, California, costing less than $50,000 to make, the shoot features real Nirvana fans as the audience. The video won Nirvana the Best New Artist and Best Alternative Group awards at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards
1992: Exodus release their 5th studio album 'Force of Habit.' It was Exodus's last album to feature John Tempesta on drums and is also their only album to feature Mike Butler on bass.
1993: Type O Negative released the album 'Bloody Kisses.' It was the first album on Roadrunner Records to achieve gold and platinum certification.
1993: Soul Asylum's 'Runaway Train' is certified gold. It peaks at #5 on the pop chart.
1994: Released over a year and a half earlier, Rage Against The Machine's self-titled debut goes platinum in the U.S.
1995: Microsoft paid The Rolling Stones an undisclosed sum, rumored to be several million dollars, so they could use the song 'Start Me Up' in Windows 95 advertisements.
1995: Depeche Mode lead singer Dave Gahan slashes his wrists with razor blades in a suicide attempt. He is saved when a friend comes by and calls paramedics, who take him to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he wakes up the next morning in the psychiatric ward.
1996: At the Monsters Of Rock festival in Donington, England the lineup includes KISS, Ozzy Osbourne, Sepultura, Biohazard, Fear Factory, Dog Eat Dog and Paradise Lost. Korn, Type O Negative, Everclear and more performed on the Kerrang 2nd stage.
1997: A pair of Elvis Presley's black underwear was stolen from the Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum in Los Angeles.
1998: Carlos Santana gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. During Santana’s ceremony, guests include the actor Edward James Olmos, playwright/director Luis Valdez and former Columbia Records president Clive Davis. Santana dedicates the day to his father, José Santana and to one of his heroes, Dolores Huerta, the co-founder of the United Farm Workers.
1999: Led Zeppelin topped a chart of Britain's most bootlegged musicians, compiled by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), after identifying 384 bootleg titles featuring Led Zeppelin performances. The bootleg chart was complied from the BPI's archive of some 10,000 recordings seized over the past 25 years. The Beatles, came in second with 320 entries, other acts listed included The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd.
2002: Hours before his wife is murdered, Jacksonville resident Justin Barber downloads the Guns N' Roses song "Used To Love Her." The song is later played at the trial as evidence, with the lyrics displayed for the jury ("I used to love her, but I had to kill her..."). Barber would be convicted of first degree murder and given a life sentence.
2004: Marilyn O'Grady, a Republican candidate for the New York Senate, launches a Boycott the Boss television commercial. Springsteen has been vocal about the ousting President Bush in the upcoming election. The conservative candidate says Springsteen "thinks making millions with a song-and-dance routine allows him to tell you how to vote. Here`s my vote, boycott the Boss. If you don't buy his politics, don't buy his music."
2004: Chevy officially ends its association with Bob Seger, whose 1986 hit 'Like A Rock' had been used in Silverado ads since 1989. Two years later, General Motors would begin using John Mellencamp's 'Our Country' as the Silverado theme.
2004: Saliva release their 'Survival Of The Sickest' album. The title track was released as a single the previous month.
2004: Jimi Hendrix memorabilia goes on display at London's Marquee Club. Valued at more than $27 million, the massive exhibit includes 50 hours of unreleased music, live film footage and Hendrix instruments. The collection later goes on the auction block.
2005: The ownership rights to Nine Inch Nails 1991 debut album go on the block with other items to payback a defaulted loan. TVT Records, who held the rights to 'Pretty Hate Machine' took out a $32 million loan in 1999 using part of the label's catalog as collateral.
2005: Velvet Revolver members Slash and Duff McKagan file a federal lawsuit in L.A. against their former Guns N' Roses bandmate Axl Rose. Slash and McKagan claim that Rose cut them out of publishing royalties by selling the rights to the GN'R back catalog without their consent and keeping the profits. The complainants charge Rose with fraud, copyright infringement and breach of fiduciary duty and seek unspecified compensation.
2005: Beck joins the White Stripes onstage during a concert in Los Angeles.
2007: Former Kid Rock DJ Uncle Kracker (Matthew Shafer) is arrested by Raleigh, NC police and charged with a second-degree forcible-sex offense. The act in question (involving a 26-year old woman) allegedly took place in a local nightclub. Kracker is released after posting a $75,000 bond. Later, he pleads guilty and is placed on 12 months probation.
2008: Jackson Browne sued U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain for using one of his songs without permission. Browne claimed the use of his song 'Running on Empty' in an ad was an infringement of copyright and would lead people to conclude he endorses McCain. Browne was seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
2009: 'I Will Not Bow,' the lead single from Breaking Benjamin's 4th album 'Dear Agony,' goes to radio.
2009: Billy Corgan officially announces that 19 year old Mike Byrne is the Smashing Pumpkins drummer, replacing Jimmy Chamberlin.
2010: John Mellencamp's 'No Better Than This' drops. The 'roots' album was recorded, with the help of T-Bone Burnett, at historic locations, including Sun Studios in Memphis.
2010: The first annual Rockstar Energy Drink UPROAR Festival Tour kicks off in Minneapolis with co-headliners Avenged Sevenfold and Disturbed. Halestorm and Stone Sour are also on the tour.
2011: A U.S. court refused to allow music producer Phil Spector to appeal his 2009 murder conviction. The 71-year-old was jailed for 19 years for shooting actress Lana Clarkson at his California home in 2003.
2012: Slipknot's first-ever Knotfest takes place in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The second day is in Minneapolis, MN. Deftones and Lamb Of God are also on the bill. It's Lamb Of God frontman Randy Bilythe's first show since he was released from a Czech jail (held on trumped up manslaughter charges from an incident a couple years earlier). "We make a day devoted to our mindset, our ideas, the people that we want to play with, the people that we think our fans want to be around," states Slipknot's Shawn 'Clown' Crahan.
2012: The members of Pussy Riot (a Russian feminist punk rock protest group) are found guilty of hooliganism motivated by religious hatred for their performance of an anti-Putin “punk prayer” inside Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in March. They were sentenced to two years in prison. One member is released shortly on appeal, while the other two serve almost a year in captivity before being given amnesty.
2013: KISS perform during halftime at the Arena Bowl XXVI Championship game. Earlier, the group announced the launch of their new Arena Football expansion team called LA KISS; actually located in Orange County.
2014: Paul McCartney tops Richest.com's list of the Top 10 richest bassists in the world with a reported worth of $1.2 billion. Gene Simmons and Sting round out the Top 3.
2015: Tom Petty, U2, and Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin personalize skateboard decks for the third annual Boards + Bands auction, which benefits a charity founded by skateboarder Tony Hawk.
2016: The Universal Music Group announced that Paul McCartney had signed a new world-wide recording agreement with Capitol Records, bringing his entire catalog of master recordings with him.

August 18
1937: The first FM (frequency modulation) radio station in the U.S., Boston's WGTR (now WAAF), is granted its construction permit by the FCC.
1955: Pete Seeger testifies before the House Un-American Activities Committee and is asked if he has performed for communists. Seger replies: "I have sung for Americans of every political persuasion, and I am proud that I never refuse to sing to an audience, no matter what religion or color of their skin, or situation in life. I have sung in hobo jungles, and I have sung for the Rockefellers, and I am proud that I have never refused to sing for anybody."
1956: The two-sided hit 'Don't Be Cruel'/'Hound Dog' begins an eleven week stay at #1 on the Billboard singles chart. It is eventually displaced by 'Love Me Tender' giving Elvis Presley an incredible sixteen-week consecutive run at #1. Also, 'Hound Dog' hits the R&B charts exactly three years to the day after Big Mama Thornton's original version.
1962: Ringo Starr played with The Beatles for the first time at a Horticultural Society dance at Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight, Birkenhead, England. Ringo had a two hour rehearsal to prepare.
1963: The Beach Boys played the Lakewood Ballroom, Lakeside Park in Burnsville, PA.
1964: Over 9,000 frenzied fans met The Beatles as they arrived in San Francisco to kick off an American tour at the Cow Palace. The Beatles were driven into a protective fence enclosure so that photographers could take pictures. As the fans pressed against the fencing, it gave way, with The Beatles managing to get out right before it came down.
1965: ‪The Beatles‬ concert happened at the Atlanta Stadium. Tickets for the show had gone on sale two months earlier,with field level seats costing $5.50 and upper level ones $4.50. Fans had begun arriving at the stadium from 4.30am on the morning of the show.
1965: Tom Moffat, disc jockey for KPOI in Hawaii, arranges for Herman's Hermits lead singer Peter Noone to interview Elvis Presley live from his bungalow in Honolulu, where he is relaxing while filming his latest movie, 'Paradise, Hawaiian Style.' "Who's your favorite group?" Noone asks. "The Boston Pops," Elvis replies, laughing.
1966: Bob Dylan's 'Just Like A Woman' b/w 'Obviously 5 Believers' 45 single is released. It peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Dylan's recording of 'Just Like a Woman' was not issued as a single in the United Kingdom but the British beat group, Manfred Mann, did release a hit single version of the song in July 1966, which peaked at #10 on the UK Singles Chart. In 2011, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Dylan's version of the song at #232 in their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
1966: Paul Jones left Manfred Mann just as 'Pretty Flamingo' was climbing the U.S. charts. He was replaced by singer Mike D’Abo, who would take over lead vocals on the bands next hit, “The Mighty Quinn,” a song written by Bob Dylan.
1967: The Rolling Stones 'We Love You' b/w 'Dandelion' 45 single is released in the UK (September 1967 in the US). It reached the top 10 in Britain, peaking at #8, but only made it to #50 in the United States, where 'Dandelion' (which reached #14) was promoted as the A-side. The song features uncredited backing vocals by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
1968: The Who perform at Kelker Junction Night Club in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
1969: After morning performances by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Sha Na Na, Jimi Hendrix closes out the Woodstock festival with a morning set that concludes with 'Hey Joe,' one of the few times in his career that he played an encore. Hendrix was not originally supposed to be the final act. Woodstock organizer Michael Lang wanted Roy Rogers to come on after Hendrix and play 'Happy Trails' but he declined.
1969: Mick Jagger was accidentally shot in the hand during filming of Ned Kelly in Australia. The film had a multitude of problems. Jagger's girlfriend of the time, Marianne Faithfull, had gone to Australia to play the lead female role (Ned's sister, Maggie), but their relationship was breaking up and she took an overdose of sleeping tablets soon after arrival in Sydney and was hospitalized in a coma, causing her to pull out of the film.
1969: King Crimson performed at Cooks Ferry Inn in London.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin played two shows at the Rock Pile in Toronto.
1970: Yes plays at the Marquee Club in London.
1970: The Grateful Dead performed the 2nd night of three in a row at the Fillmore West in San Francisco. The New Riders of the Purple Sage are the openers.
1971: The Who played at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
1972: It’s a Beautiful Day and Brownsville Station appear at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1972: The Allman Brothers Band performed at the Akron Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio.
1973: Jethro Tull's LP 'A Passion Play' hits #1. It spends one week there and is the band's second and final #1.
1973: The Doobie Brothers release the single 'China Grove.' A month later it will crack the Hot 100 and eventually reach #15. The song is based on a real town in Texas with the same name, however, the mention of "samurai swords" is inaccurate, as they were in fact Japanese, not Chinese.
1973: According to Cashbox Magazine, Wings had the best selling single in the U.S. with 'Live And Let Die.' Produced by George Martin, the Grammy nominated song was written specifically for the James Bond film of the same name.
1974: Aerosmith appeared at the Westboro Speedway in Westboro, Massachusetts.
1977: The funeral for Elvis Presley was held at Graceland before 150 invited mourners. Tens of thousands more gathered outside the gates. Two Missouri girls were killed and a third was critically injured when a car being driven by an 18-year-old Memphis teen swerved into a crowd of over 2,000 mourners standing in front of Graceland's music gate at about 4am. The driver was charged with drunk driving, leaving the scene of an accident and two counts of second degree murder. Presley was entombed in a white marble mausoleum at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis near the grave of his mother, Gladys, but would be re-buried at Graceland the following November at his father's request.
1977: In England, The Police played their first gig as a three-piece after the departure of guitarist Henri Padovani at Rebecca’s in Birmingham.
1977: Foreigner appeared at the Circle Theatre in Indianapolis, Indiana. AC/DC was the opener.
1978: AC/DC played at Concert Hall in Calderone, New York.
1978: The Who release their 8th studio album, 'Who Are You.' It reached #2 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and #6 on the UK Albums chart. It is The Who's last album with Keith Moon as the drummer.
1979: The Who, AC/DC, Nils Lofgren and The Stranglers all performed at Wembley Stadium in London.
1979: 'Chicago Jam I' took place at Comiskey Park. The lineup included The Beach Boys, Pure Prarie Leaugue, Sha Na Na and Blondie.
1979: Nick Lowe marries Johnny Cash's stepdaughter, country singer Carlene Carter, in Los Angeles. The wedding is reenacted in Lowe's video for 'Cruel to be Kind." The two divorce in 1990.
1980: Yes release their 10th studio album, 'Drama.'
1980: Black Sabbath played at the International Amphitheater in Chicago.
1981: Van Halen performed at the Hollywood Sportatorium in Pembroke Pines, Florida.
1981: The Moody Blues start recording their 9th album, 'Long Distance Voyager.'
1982: The City of Liverpool named four Streets after the fab four: John Lennon Drive, Paul McCartney Way, George Harrison Close and Ringo Starr Drive. Sutcliffe Street is also named, in honor of original bass player Stu Sutcliffe).
1983: The Police headlined a concert at Shea Stadium in New York City in front of 70,000 fans. The concert sold out in five hours. Also on the bill were Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and R.E.M.
1984: The 5th annual Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the U.K. includes AC/DC as headliners (the first band to headline twice) followed by Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Moore, Y&T, Accept and Mötley Crüe.
1986: Bon Jovi release 'Slippery When Wet.' The album goes on to sell over six million copies and has now sold over 28 million copies worldwide to date. It included three Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits, with two ('You Give Love A Bad Name' and 'Livin' On A Prayer') reached #1. The 3rd single 'Wanted Dead or Alive' peaked at #7.
1986: Warlock release their 3rd studio album, 'True as Steel.'
1987: KISS release their 35th single, 'Crazy Crazy Nights.' It peaks at #4 on the Official UK singles’ chart.
1987: Aerosmith release their “comeback” album 'Permanent Vacation.' It goes on to peak at #11 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart and sell five million copies in the U.S., spawning the hits 'Rag Doll,' 'Dude (Looks Like a Lady),' and 'Angel.'
1990: The Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the U.K. features Whitesnake, Aerosmith, Poison, Quireboys and Thunder. During Aerosmith’s set Jimmy Page joins them onstage for a rendition of The Yardbirds’ 'Train Kept A-Rollin’ and 'Walk This Way.'
1991: Legendary rock poster artist Rick Griffin died after being forced off the road by a van he was attempting to pass on his Harley Heritage Softail motorbike. One of his best known album covers was for the Grateful Dead's 'Aoxomoa' LP, and the legendary "Flying Eyeball" poster he designed for a series of concerts in San Francisco featuring the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Albert King and John Mayall.
1991: Billy Preston is arrested on charges of battery after allegedly attacking a 16-year-old prostitute once Preston discovered he was a transvestite. The keyboardist and singer is eventually given five years probation.
1992: Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love became the proud parents of Frances Bean.
1994: Soundgarden is forced to postpone their European tour because doctors order vocalist Chris Cornell to stop singing until damaged vocal chords heal.
1997: To announce their 'Bridges to Babylon' tour, The Rolling Stones drove to a Brooklyn Bridge press conference in a ’55 Cadillac.
1998: KoRn release their 3rd studio album, 'Follow the Leader.' The music video for 'Freak on a Leash' won Best Short Form Music Video at the 2000 Grammy Awards.
1998: Kid Rock's 'Devil Without A Cause' is released.
1998: Aerosmith​ releases the hit song 'I Don't Want to Miss a Thing.' The song debuted at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song stayed at #1 for four weeks. Out of 28 charting singles (eight being in the Top Ten) on Billboard’s Hot 100, it was their only #1.
1999: KISS and Alice Cooper’s music publishers reached a settlement out of court. Cooper sued Kiss because their song 'Dreamin’ from 'Psycho Circus' sounded a little too similar to his 1971 hit 'Eighteen.'
2003: The Rolling Stones made over three hundred of their post-1971 songs available as purchasable downloads on Listen.com.
2004: The MTV2 special 'Green Day Makes A Video' airs. It's a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the 'American Idiot' video.
2004: Linkin Park donates $5 from every ticket sold at their Projekt Revolution show in Tampa to the Red Cross Hurricane Charley Relief Fund. The effort raises more than $65,000 in aid for hurricane victims
2005: Slipknot threaten Burger King with legal action over a new advertising campaign that features a mock mask-wearing Metal group. In a cease-and-desist letter sent to the fast-food chain, Slipknot contend that Burger King created the 'look-alike, sound-alike band' in order to influence the Slipknot generation to purchase chicken fries." As expected, Burger King claims the campaign does not violate Slipknot's trademark rights.
2006: Justin Hawkins the lead singer of The Darkness checked himself into the Priory rehabilitation clinic suffering from exhaustion after three years of non-stop work.
2006: Stone Temple Pilots tape a segment for VH1 Classic's Decades Rock Live! It's the first time the group has performed together since 2003. They share the stage with former frontman Scott Weiland's more recent group, Velvet Revolver.
2008: Ex-Talking Heads frontman David Byrne releases 'Everything That Happens Will Happen Today.' "Despite a sinister inflection to both the lyrics and the music, the overall tone is hopeful," writes Byrne.
2008: Daughtry's cover of Foreigner's 'Feels Like The First Time' makes its debut as the official theme of CNN's League of First Time Voters initiative. "They've modernized it a bit; brought it up to today's standards," says Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones. "When I heard it, it made me think back to when we recorded the original."
2008: Ozzy Osbourne announces he has inked a new three-album deal with Sony. "Ozzy had an unbelievable last record ('07's Black Rain"), an unbelievable year touring and he's in the studio right now recording," says Ozzy's wife/manager Sharon.
2009: A six-CD box set 'Woodstock: 40 Years On: Back to Yasgur's Farm' features previously unreleased performances from Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Who, the Grateful Dead and Mountain. The package is arranged according to the order acts appeared at the event.
2009: Sister Hazel unfurl their 7th studio album, 'Release.'
2009: Third Eye Blind release their 4th studio album, 'Ursa Major.'
2009: A Queen-themed edition of the SingStar karaoke video game is released in the U.S. on PlayStation 2 & 3 consoles.
2010: Kenny Edwards, an original member of the Country / Rock band The Stone Poneys, died of cancer at the age of 64. The group, led by vocalist Linda Ronstadt, reached #13 in late 1967 with 'Different Drum,' a song written by The Monkees' Michael Nesmith.
2010: French beauty brand Etat Libre D'Orange announced that they have teamed up with the Sex Pistols to bottle the scent of the Punk era by launching the band's first fragrance. Company executives said "to wear this scent, you must resist tradition, fight conformity, and disregard aromatic conventions."
2011: U2 pledges to over $7.2 million to Irish schools for music education. Funding cuts have led to a decline in music education in Ireland. "There is an assumption that music is being provided for in mainstream schools, while in the reality it is not," says Rosaleen Molloy, director of Music Generation, the organization that administers the funds.
2011: Motley Crue receive the Elmer Valentine Award (named after the co-founder of the Whisky a Go Go and The Roxy Theatre) for their contributions to the history of The Sunset Strip. Ray Manzarek (The Doors) is the emcee at the House of Blues event. Also, it's Motley Crue Day in West Hollywood, where the Sunset Strip is located.
2011: Green Day win a court case filed by artist David Seltzer, who sued the band for "stealing" his "frightened, fang-toothed face" image for the 'East Jesus Nowhere' video backdrop. Judge Gutierrez cites the rules of fair use to find Green Day's use of the art "transformative."
2011: Liam Gallagher sues his brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel for negative comments made during the band's 2009 break-up. "He (Noel) claimed Oasis pulled out of the '09 Festival Chelmsford gig because I had a hangover," said Liam in a statement. "That is a lie and I want Oasis fans, and others who were at V, to know the truth." Liam seeks an apology from his older brother. Noel later concedes on Facebook that his brother was suffering from laryngitis when the band canceled. As a result, Liam drops the suit.
2011: AC/DC and Australia's Warburn Estate introduce a line of wines: Back In Black Shiraz, Highway To Hell Cabernet Sauvignon and You Shook Me All Night Long Moscato.
2012: The team of Kid Rock, Pulte Homes and Operation Finally Home present Sgt. Davin Dumar, a veteran of Afghanistan who lost his leg and severely injured his arm in combat, and his wife Dana, with a free new home. Kid Rock personally called the founder of Operation Finally Home to talk about Sgt. Dumar, a fellow Michigan native. Rock also personally told the Dumars that they would be receiving the house and thanked Dumar for his sacrifice and service.
2012: Marilyn Manson is joined on stage by The Doors Ray Manzarek and Robby Krieger to perform 'People Are Strange,' 'Love Me Two Times' and 'Five To One' (all Doors songs) during the Sunset Strip Music Festival. Manson headlines the event.
2012: Scott McKenzie (born Philip Wallach Blondheim) dies in Los Angeles at 73. McKenzie had suffered from Guillain–Barré syndrome since 2010. He was best known for his 1967 song, 'San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair).' He also co-wrote 'Kokomo' for the Beach Boys and 'Hey! What About Me' that launched the career of Canadian singer Anne Murray. McKenzie was good friends with John Phillips and originally declined an opportunity to join The Mamas & the Papas, saying, “I was trying to see if I could do something by myself. And I didn’t think I could take that much pressure.” He ended up going solo, but later joined Phillips in a reformed version of the band for over 13 years.
2015: Lamb Of God post their best U.K. chart showing to date when 'VII: Sturm Und Drang' debuts at #7.
2016: Metallica released their single 'Hardwired.' The song received a nomination for Best Rock Song at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
2016: Avenged Sevenfold’s free concert in Minneapolis marks the debut appearance of drummer Brooks Wackerman. He joined the group following the departure of Arin Ilejay.
2017: Tobias Forge publicly reveals himself as Ghost frontman Papa Emeritus. Of course, speculation had been rampant since the band’s debut.

August 19
1950: 'Hard Luck Blues' by Roy Brown And His Mighty Mighty Men hit the top of the U.S. R&B chart. Brown wrote Wynonie Harris' 1948 hit, 'Good Rockin' Tonight,' which is recognized by many Rock historians as a precursor to the Rock 'n' Roll era and was covered by Elvis Presley in 1954.
1954: The Platters, B.B. King and Johnny Otis top the bill at a sold out show at the Savoy Ballroom in Hollywood, California.
1963: Peter, Paul And Mary perform, 'Blowin' In The Wind' for civil rights marchers in Washington D.C. who had gathered to hear Martin Luther King Jr. speak.
1964: The Rolling Stones played the second of six shows at the New Theatre Ballroom, Guernsey in the Channel Islands.
1964: The High Numbers, (The Who) played at The Scene in Soho London, England.
1964: The Beatles kicked off their 2nd American tour at San Francisco's Cow Palace for a crowd of 17,130. Supporting acts were The Righteous Brothers, The Bill Black Combo, The Exciters, and Jackie DeShannon. After a 33 minute concert, John, Paul, Ringo and George were whisked away by ambulance after their limousine was swarmed by fans. Joining them for the entire tour was journalist Ivor Davis, who would later chronicle his experience in the book The Beatles and Me on Tour.
1966: The Beatles are on the receiving end of an assassination threat during a concert in Memphis, Tennessee. During the second show, a firecracker is thrown on stage, but the band continued to play and the night went on without further incident.
1967: The Beatles get their 14th U.S. #1 single with 'All You Need Is Love.' Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Graham Nash, Marianne Faithfull and Walker Brother Gary Leeds all sang backing vocals on the track.
1967: Ringo Starr and his wife Maureen have a baby boy named Jason.
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience 'Burning Of The Midnight Lamp' b/w 'The Stars That Play With Laughing Sam's Dice' 45 single is released in the UK, where it peaked at #18.
1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience, Moby Grape, Tim Buckley and Captain Speed played the Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara, CA.
1968: The final Monkees TV show airs on NBC. It aired numerous times in repeats on various networks and cable channels over the years, including a popular stint on CBS from 1969-1972
1968: Pink Floyd release 'Let There Be More Light'/'Remember A Day' in the U.S.
1969: Joni Mitchell, David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Jefferson Airplane all appeared on the ABC's 'Dick Cavett Show' from Television Center in New York City. Joni Mitchell performs her song 'Woodstock' about the festival.
1969: At the site of the just-ended Woodstock festival, crews bulldoze acres of trash and debris into a pit and burn it at a total cost of $100,000.
1970: The Allman Brothers Band played at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina
1971: Led Zeppelin kicked off a North American tour at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, Canada. The band played to a sold out crowd of over 17,000 fans, another 3,000 fans outside the venue who didn't have tickets started a battle with local police.
1971: The Who played at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.
1972: David Bowie played the first of two nights at the Rainbow Theatre in England on his current 182-date Ziggy Stardust world tour.
1972: The Midnight Special TV show debuts on NBC. The first airing is a 90-minute special encouraging young people to vote in the upcoming presidential election with War performing 'Slippin’ Into Darkness.' The next year it launches as a regular show with announcer Wolfman Jack.
1972: Chicago's LP 'Chicago V' hits #1, the beginning of a nine-week run at the top spot.
1972: David Bowie played the first of two nights at the Rainbow Theatre in England on his current 182-date Ziggy Stardust world tour.
1972: The Beach Boys and The Kinks played New Jersey State Fairgrounds in Hamilton Township, NJ as part of the Garden State Summer Music Fair.
1973: Rita Coolidge and Kris Kristofferson are married in Malibu, with Kris's minister / father performing the ceremony. They would divorce in 1980.
1974: AC/DC appear at Festival Hall in Melbourne, Australia.
1974: Average White Band's 'AWB' album is released.
1974: Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 'Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends...Ladies and Gentlemen' live album is released. It reached #4 on the Billboard Top LP's chart.
1974: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's compilation album 'So Far' is released. It reached #1 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
1976: Yes perform at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
1977: The Sex Pistols started an undercover UK tour as The Spots, (an acronym for Sex Pistols on tour secretly).
1977: Foghat 'Live' is released. It's the first live album from the band.
1977: Alice Cooper began a two-night stand at The Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas where he recorded his first live album 'The Alice Cooper Show.'
1978: After placing three songs on the Billboard Top 40 with Jim Messina in 1972 and 1973, Kenny Loggins has the first of his own 14 hits when 'Whenever I Call You Friend' enters the chart. The duet with Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks would enjoy an amazing 15 week chart run.
1978: Bruce Springsteen plays at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Actor Gary Busey joins the band for the Buddy Holly song 'Rave On.'
1978: The Eaglkes, Steve Miller Band and Pablo Cruise played Comiskey Paark in Chicago, il as part of the Summer Jam concert series.
1979: American Rockabilly singer Dorsey Burnette died from a heart attack at his home in Canoga Park, California. He wrote ‘It’s Late,' a hit for Ricky Nelson and Shakin’ Stevens. After his death, singer and friend Delaney Bramlett organized a benefit concert for Dorsey’s widow at the Forum in Inglewood, California, in which Kris Kristofferson, Hoyt Axton. Tanya Tucker, Glen Campbell, Duane Eddy, Delaney and Bonnie, Gary Busey and Roger Miller appeared. Dorsey Burnette’s pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
1979: The 'Chicago Jam 2' conert took place at Comiskey Park. The lineup included Foghat, Rush, The Tubes, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes and Roadmaster.
1980: After Alice Cooper cancelled a Toronto show because of illness, 1400 rioted.
1980: AC/DC release their 21st single, 'You Shook Me All Night Long.' It placed at #10 on VH1’s list of "The 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s".
1980: The Grateful Dead perform at Chicago’s Uptown Theater.
1980: Black Sabbath performed their last concert with original drummer Bill Ward in Minneapolis at the Metropolitan Sports Center. Ward would shortly be replaced by Vinny Appice. Ward would later re-join and leave the band multiple times over the next 30+ years.
1981: ZZ Top played at the Kansas Coliseum in Wichita, Kansas.
1982: During a North American tour, Queen appeared at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi.
1983: Black Sabbath appeared at Isstadion in Stockholm, Sweden.
1983: Having been sporadic since it was originally shut down in 1968, "pirate radio" station Radio Caroline makes its comeback on board the ship Ross Revenge in the North Sea's international waters. Six years to the day later, it would be shut down again.
1985: Malice release their debut album 'In the Beginning...' The album was produced by Max Norman and would be their first release on Atlantic Records.
1985: John Mellencamp's 8th album, 'Scarecrow' is released. It reached #2 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, and features three Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 - 'R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.' (#2), 'Lonely Ol' Night' (#6), and 'Small Town' (#6).
1988: 'Crazy' by Patsy Cline, and Elvis Presley's, 'Hound Dog' were announced as the most played jukebox songs of the first hundred years. The jukebox had been around since 1906, but earlier models had been first seen in 1889.
1989: Lou Reed breaks his ankle after a soundcheck in Cleveland, and is forced to cancel the remainder of his tour.
1989: Bon Jovi headlined a bill at the Milton Keynes Bowl in the U.K. The bill also included Europe, Vixen & Skid Row. During Bon Jovi’s set, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler & Joe Perry joined them onstage during their encore for a rendition of 'Walk This Way.'
1991: Judas Priest performed their last concert with Rob Halford for 13 years at the CNE Grandstand in Toronto on the Operation Rock & Roll tour. During the concert Halford was injured as he rode a motorcycle onstage when he collided with a drum riser hidden behind dry ice. Halford later returned to finish the concert.
1997: Fleetwood Mac released 'The Dance,' the soundtrack to a TV special featuring the reunited Californian rockers.
1998: Priscilla Presley won $75,000 in a defamation lawsuit against a man who claimed they had an affair before she married Elvis Presley. "I am very pleased that I have been vindicated by this judgment" Priscilla said in a statement.
1999: A TV ad featuring the late Linda McCartney urging a boycott of fishing was banned by the Advertising Clearance Centre in the UK.
2001: Echobrain, with former Metallica bassist, Jason Newsted make their live debut at Nadine's Wild Weekend in California.‬
2002: Notorious rock groupie Cynthia Plastercaster, best known for immortalizing rock star’s nether regions in plaster, began selling replicas of her work on the Internet.
2002: Doro released the album 'Fight.' The album had various guests including Type O Negative vocalist Peter Steele and Savatage guitarist Chris Caffery.
2003: David Bowie played songs from his new album, 'Reality,' at a low-key tour warm-up gig in Poughkeepsie, New York.
2003: Kings Of Leon release their debut album, 'Youth & Young Manhood.'
2004: John Mellencamp launches his "Speak Up, Rock Out" sweepstakes on Nickelodeon. Viewers write song lyrics about what freedom of speech means to them and to imagine what it would be like without it. Mellencamp picks the finalists and turns the lyrics into a song that he performs at the winner's school.
2004: Hurricane Charley victims in Florida get help from Clear Channel Communications Inc. They auction off 43 guitars autographed by Tom Petty, Stone Temple Pilots, Linkin Park, Nickelback and ZZ Top. The proceeds are split between displaced families and the American Red Cross.
2005: A wooden gangway collapses, injuring 31 people, during Queens Of The Stone Age's set at the Frequency Festival near Salzburg, Austria. Eleven are taken to the hospital, with most victims suffering bruises and fractures.
2005: Courtney Love was sentenced to a chemical dependency program after a judge found she broke her probation. Love admitted to taking drugs in July.
2005: A life-size bronze statue designed by Paul Daly of Phil Lynott was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin. The ceremony was attended by his former Thin Lizzy band members Gary Moore, Brian Robertson, Eric Bell, Brian Downey, Darren Wharton and Scott Gorham. Lynott died in 1986 at the age of 36.
2006: VH1 Classic broadcasts the final episode of the legendary BBC music program 'Top Of The Pops' with performances by the Rolling Stones and David Bowie. The program includes rare footage of John Lennon, T. Rex, U2, Elton John and Rod Stewart.
2007: The surviving founding members of Boston play a Beantown concert in honor of late frontman Brad Delp. Extreme, RTZ and Godsmack (playing mostly acoustic) also perform. The show culminates with an introduction of the past and present Boston members in attendance and a performance of 'Don't Look Back.'
2008: LeRoi Moore, a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band, dies from complications stemming from an ATV accident. He was 46. Moore had been checking on a broken fence on his farm near Charlottesville, Virginia when his ATV hit a ditch and overturned and landed on him. LeRoi had recently returned to his Los Angeles home to begin an intensive physical rehabilitation program when he was stricken with pneumonia and died suddenly. Moore was an accomplished jazz saxophonist, and also played the flute, clarinet and oboe. He co-wrote many of the band’s hits and served as the musical arranger.
2008: Staind release their 6th album 'The Illusion Of Progress,' with lead single 'Believe.' "We went into the studio with the mind-set of making our heaviest record yet," explains frontman Aaron Lewis, "but the record that came out has flavors of Pink Floyd and straight-up Blues." The group marks the occasion with a performance at the New York's Times Square as part of the Hard Rock Cafe's Ambassadors of Rock Tour. The show benefits the VH1 Save the Music Foundation.
2008: 'Three Days Grace: Live At The Palace 2008,' a concert DVD is out. The set is available only at Best Buy stores and online.
2008: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum benefit begins in Cary, NC. Proceeds from the two-day concert go to the John Entwistle Foundation, a charity named for The Who's late bassist.
2009: Metallica's Kirk Hammett, Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell and Pantera/HellYeah drummer Vinnie Paul take part in an online poker tournament hosted by Anthrax's Scott Ian.
2009: KISS release the single, 'Modern Day Delilah.' It was their first single since 1998's 'You Wanted The Best.'
2010: Michael Been of the '80s band The Call ('Let The Day Begin') suffers a massive heart attack and dies backstage at the Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium.
2011: The West Memphis Three, a group of men convicted of murder who proclaimed their innocence all along, are released. Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, a key supporter of Damien Echols, Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwin, became involved after watching a pair of HBO documentaries about the case. "(It's) tantamount to seeing a child born, but instead of nine months, it took 18 years for them," says Vedder.
2013: Richie Havens' ashes were scattered from a plane across the site of the original Woodstock concert. He was the first act to perform at the 1969 event held in upstate New York, where he made history with his performance of 'Freedom.' Havens died last April from a heart attack at the age of 72.
2014: Ace Frehley released his 6th solo album, 'Space Invader.'
2014: Guitarist Traci Guns League of Gentlemen issues their sophomore album 'The Second Record.'
2014: Motley Crue's catalog gets a workout by name Country acts on 'Nashville Outlaws: A Tribute To Motley Crue.'
2014: Dokken's Alex De Rosso, Guns N' Roses Ron 'Bumblefoot' Thal and former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland are heard on producer/composer Brian Tarquin's 'The Guitars For Wounded Warriors' album.
2017: Frontman Ivan Moody rejoins Five Finger Death Punch for their show at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. He exited the group during their European tour for alcohol treatment. Five Finger Death Punch continued the trek with vocalist Tommy Vext.

August 20
1920: In Detroit, what will become WWJ (950 AM) becomes the first radio station in America to start broadcasting. They were assigned the call letters 8MK by the United States Department of Commerce Bureau of Navigation. In 1922, the call letters were changed to WWJ and today the station's listenership ranks as one of the highest in its market.
1955: Chuck Berry's 'Maybellene,' his debut single, is #1 on the R&B chart.
1955: Billboard magazine reviews Elvis Presley's 'I Forgot To Remember To Forget' by saying, "This (record) is certain to get strong initial exposure. Presley is currently on the best selling charts with 'Baby Let's Play House' and the wide acceptance of this side should ease the way for the new disk." The song would go on to top the Billboard National Country Music Chart and reach #4 on the Billboard Most Played By Jockeys chart in February, 1956, giving Elvis his first national exposure.
1964: The Beatles perform at the Convention Hall in Las Vegas.
1965: The Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham and his partner Tony Calder launch Immediate records. The McCoy's 'Hang On Sloopy' was their first release. Mick Jagger, Eric Clapton and Nico (later to join Velvet Underground) all attended the launch party. The label became the home of The Small Faces, Nice, Amen Corner and Chris Farlowe and a young producer/guitarist Jimmy Page.
1965: The Rolling Stones '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction' b/w 'The Spider And The Fly' 45 single is released in the UK. It was first released as a single in the United States in June of 1965. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine placed 'Satisfaction' in the second spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, while in 2006 it was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry.
1965: Davy Jones & The Lower Third released the single 'You've Got a Habit of Leaving' the last song that David Bowie (born David Jones), released before changing his name to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees, and the first of two singles that he recorded with The Lower Third after leaving his previous band, The Manish Boys.
1966: The Beatles were forced to cancel and reschedule their concert at Cincinnati, Ohio's Crosley Field due to heavy rain and no cover provided. If the band performed electrocution was a virtual certainty.
1967: The New York Times reports on a pioneering method of noise reduction created by Dolby Labs which makes home recording on blank cassette tapes possible.
1968: The director of the University of Tennessee's audio lab, Dr. David M. Lipscomb, reported that a guinea pig subjected over a three month period to 88 hours of Rock music recorded at a Knoxville disco at 120 decibels suffered acute damage to the inner ears. Steve Paul, the owner of a New York disco replied "Should a major increase in guinea pig attendance occur at The Scene, we'll certainly bear their comfort in mind."
1969: Frank Zappa shuts down his Mothers of Invention. Zappa says he's "tired of playing for people who clap for all the wrong reasons." He will resurrect the band a few months later.
1969: After finishing ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy),' The Beatles worked on the running order for the 'Abbey Road' album. A preliminary master tape was compiled, the medley was originally slated for side one of the album, and the placement of ‘Octopus's Garden’ and ‘Oh! Darling’ were reversed from the final version. The album was to end with the slashed guitar chord that finishes ‘I Want You (She's So Heavy)’. This was the last time all four Beatles were together in Abbey Road studios.
1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival's LP 'Cosmo's Factory' reaches #1 on the Billboard Hot 200, a position it would hold for 9 weeks.
1971: The Byrds 'Glory, Glory' b/w 'Citizen Kane' 45 single is released. 'Glory, Glory' (also known as other titles) is an American spiritual song, which has been recorded by many artists in a variety of genres, including folk, country, blues, rock, and gospel.
1973: Bruce Springsteen played the first of a seven night run at Oliver's in Boston, Massachusetts playing two 60-minute sets each night.
1973: The Rolling Stones release 'Angie,' which will top the Billboard chart and reach #5 in the UK. At the time, the Mick Jagger/Keith Richards composition was rumored to have been written about David Bowie's first wife Angela, the actress Angie Dickinson, Keith Richards' newborn daughter Dandelion Angela, and Marianne Faithfull. However, in his 2010 memoir Life, Richards said that he had chosen the name at random when writing the song, before he knew that his baby would be named Angela or even knew that his baby would be a girl.
1976: KISS rock Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, CA with openers Ted Nugent, Uriah Heep, and Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.
1979: Rod Stewart and his first wife, Alana Hamilton, become the proud parents of their first child, Kimberly.
1979: Bob Dylan released 'Slow Train Coming,' an album of religious songs, including the Grammy Award winning single, 'Gotta Serve Somebody.' The album alienated many of his long time fans. It reached #3 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and #2 on the UK Albums chart. It was listed at #16 in the 2001 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. The album was generally well-reviewed in the secular press, and the single 'Gotta Serve Somebody' became his first hit in three years, winning Dylan the Grammy for best rock vocal performance by a male in 1980.
1980: John Lennon began recording his final album, 'Double Fantasy.' It would be released on November 17th by the newly-formed Geffen Records and would win the 1982 Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
1981: Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott appears at Kingston Crown Court where he is fined £200 for possessing cocaine.
1981: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band played at the L.A. Sports Arena in one of the first high profile benefits for Vietnam veterans and kicking off a six night stint at the venue.
1983: Joan Jett, The Police, R.E.M. and Madness all appeared at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.
1983: The Monsters of Rock Festival at Castle Donington features headliner Whitesnake, with Meat Loaf, ZZ Top, Twisted Sister, Dio and Diamond Head rounding out the bill.
1983: Heart release their 7th studio album, 'Passionworks.' It spent 21 weeks on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, and reached #39. The single, 'How Can I Refuse?' hit #44 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and #1 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
1983: Stevie Nicks peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Stand Back' which was her 3rd top 10 single as a solo artist.
1987: Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac leaves the group after refusing to tour behind its latest album, 'Tango In The Night.'
1988: Steve Winwood went to #1 on the U.S. album chart with his 5th solo album 'Roll With It.' The title cut also topped the U.S. singles charts.
1988: Iron Maiden headlines the Monsters of Rock Festival at Castle Donington with Kiss, David Lee Roth, Megadeth, Guns N’ Roses and Helloween. Axl Rose had implored the crowd, "Don't f--kin' kill each other," but with the ground wet and a record crowd of 107,000 at the festival, the surge of bodies during the set caused two fans to be trampled or crushed to death.
1988: Aerosmith's 'Rag Doll' cracks the Top 20, peaking at #17.
1988: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes Poison’s 'Fallen Angel' at #41, Def Leppard’s 'Love Bites' #39 & 'Pour Some Sugar On Me' #26, Cheap Trick’s 'Don’t Be Cruel' #37 & 'The Flame' #32, Aerosmith’s 'Rag Doll' #17, Van Halen’s 'When It’s Love' #16, and Guns N’ Roses’ 'Sweet Child ‘O Mine' at #9. ‬
1990: Living Colour release their 2nd studio album, 'Time's Up.'
1990: Black Sabbath release their 15th studio album, 'Tyr.' The album featured Tony Iommi on guitar, Cozy Powell on drums, Tony Martin on vocals, Neil Murray on bass and Geoff Nicholls on keyboards.
1990: Queensryche release their 4th full-length album, 'Empire.' The album reached #7 on the Billboard chart.
1990: Prince releases his album 'Graffiti Bridge,' which contains the tracks 'Thieves In The Temple' and 'New Power Generation.'
1990: Aerosmith performed at the Marquee Club London and were joined by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page on stage for a blues jam.
1991: Nirvana and Sonic Youth kicked off a joint European tour at Sir Henry's Pub in Cork, Ireland.
1991: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts release their 8th studio album, 'Notorious.'
1991: The movie 'Harley Davidson and The Marlboro Man' debuted in U.S. theaters. The film featured a song called 'The Bigger They Come' by Peter Frampton and Steve Marriott, which was their first work together since their days in Humble Pie, 20 years earlier.
1991: Spin Doctors release their debut album, 'Pocket Full of Kryptonite.'
1992: Sting marries Trudie Styler at their estate in Wiltshire, England. The couple first met in 1977 when Sting was a struggling musician and Trudie was trying to make it as an actress.
1996: Carlos Santana receives a star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame.
1996: Type O Negative released their 4th album, 'October Rust.' The band did a cover of Neil Young's 'Cinnamon Girl' on this album, which reached #42 on the Billboard chart.
1996: Mercyful Fate released the album 'Into The Unknown.' The Japanese bonus track was a cover of the Judas Priest song 'The Ripper.'
1999: Blues Traveler bassist Bobby Sheehan is found dead in his New Orleans home. He is 31.
2000: Bon Jovi performed the final concert at the old Wembley Stadium in London. It was their fifth concert at the stadium & they were scheduled to be the first band to perform at the new Wembley Stadium in 2006, but delays in construction of the new stadium led their concerts to be moved.
2001: While on tour in England, Foo Fighters Taylor Hawkins overdoses (painkillers or heroin, stories differ) and goes into a coma. "I've been into rehab and cleaned up," Taylor later states. "It's all in the past."
2002: Seether release their debut album, 'Disclaimer.'
2002: L.A. Guns release their 10th studio album, 'Waking the Dead.'
2002: Black Sabbath release their 4th live album, 'Past Lives.' It captures the band live at various shows in 1970, 1973 & 1975.
2004: A man from Stoke-on-Trent, England, named Bryan Adams as the 'other man' in his divorce papers after years spent trying to cope with his wife's obsession with the singer. Rob Tinsley said he had to live with a 6ft cut-out of Adams which stood at the foot of the bed and posters on the bedroom walls.
2005: On what would have been Phil Lynott's 56th birthday, a concert is held in Dublin featuring Thin Lizzy members Brian Downey, Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. Eric Bell, the original lead guitarist with Thin Lizzy, and Gary Moore share the lead on the classic 'Whiskey In The Jar.'
2005: Red Hot Chili Peppers perform with Rapper Snoop Dogg and Funk legend Bootsy Collins on mash-up covers of songs by Dr. Dre, Curtis Mayfield and James Brown during the band's set at New York's AmsterJam Festival. 311 and Garbage also appear.
2005: Velvet Revolver play drummer roulette as Matt Sorum recovers from a fractured hand. First they enlist veteran Brian Tichy, now they recruit Mark Schulman (Billy Idol, Foreigner, Cher). Schulman's first gig with the band is an Ozzfest show in Vegas. Meanwhile Sorum undergoes physical therapy.
2005: Boston Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo performs with Alice In Chains bassist Mike Inez in Santa Monica, CA. They cover AIC, Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots. Earlier in the evening, the right handed hurler/guitarist was the losing pitcher against the Angels.
2005: Iron Maiden were pelted with eggs, bottle caps and ice on their last appearance at Ozzfest. The power was also cut off several times and a stage invader ran onstage with an American flag all of which was orchestrated by Sharon Osbourne. Sharon Osbourne later calls Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson a “prick” and accuses him of having “disrespected” Ozzy.
2006: The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at Twickenham Stadium on their 'A Bigger Bang' world tour. Feeder and The Charlatans also appeared.
2008: Slipknot released the album 'All Hope Is Gone.' The album reached #1 on the Billboard chart, making it the first Slipknot album to do so.
2008: Drummer Joey Jordison's broken ankle forces Slipknot to cancel the remaining shows on their European tour, including performances at England's Reading and Leeds festivals. "Doctors have advised Joey to stay off his leg for 4-6 weeks to prevent further injury or permanent and more serious damage," reads a band statement.
2008: Ex-Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler pleads not guilty in a Los Angeles court to charges stemming from his drug-related arrest the previous month.
2008: The daughter of late country star Johnny Cash called the use of her father's name to endorse a US presidential candidate ‘appalling’. Country star John Rich implied Mr Cash would have backed Republican hopeful John McCain while appearing at a rally in Florida, according to media reports. Writing on her website, Roseanne Cash called the remarks ‘presumptuous’. ‘Even I would not presume to say publicly what I 'know' he thought or felt,’ she added.
2009: Larry Knechtel dies of a heart attack in Yakima, Washington at 69. Knechtel was the but was also a member of the legendary collective of musicians called The Wrecking Crew who did session work for many of the major artists at the time, as well as bassist and keyboardist of Bread. In 1970 he won a Grammy Award for his piano work on 'Bridge over Troubled Water' by Simon and Garfunkel. He also played the guitar solo on Bread’s hit 'The Guitar Man.'
2009: An art exhibit commemorating what would have been late Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott's 60th birthday opens at a gallery in Dublin, Ireland. The display includes pieces inspired by Lynott, as well as memorabilia donated by his mother. The event raises money for the Roisin Dubh Trust, an organization that honors Lynott's memory.
2010: Accept release their 12th studio album 'Blood of the Nations.' It was their first album to feature vocalist Mark Tornillo and drummer Stefan Schwarzmann.
2011: The U.K.'s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra celebrates the 80th birthday of the Abbey Road recording studios by playing a show featuring cover versions of Pink Floyd classics at West London's Chiswick House. There are also arrangements of songs by Abbey Road vets Radiohead, Oasis and The Beatles (who named an album after the studio).
2012: Led Zeppelin's 2003 DVD is certified thirteen times platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) for sales in excess of 1.3 million copies in the U.S. alone. The double-DVD set features over five hours of never-before-available footage from '69 to '79.
2012: Green Day partners with the smash hit video game 'Angry Birds' for a special 10-level edition of the game, featuring Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tre Cool as green pigs, is launched by video game maker Rovio and players can even unlock a new Green Day song from the tenth level of the game.
2013: Tedeschi Trucks Band roll out their second studio album, 'Made Up Mind.'
2013: Bruce Springsteen sends his first tweet ever prior to a South American tour. "Bruce here... looking forward to seeing friends in Chile, Argentina & Brazil on tour next month. Any requests?"
2014: The film soundtrack 'Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1' with songs by David Bowie and the Runaways is #1 on the Billboard 200. It's the first soundtrack album consisting entirely of previously released songs to top the chart.
2015: A Los Angeles police task force investigating Internet crimes against children served a search warrant at the home of KISS rocker Gene Simmons. Police emphasized that neither Simmons nor anyone in his family was suspected in the case.
2015: Michael McDonald sat in with The Doobie Brothers for an appearance on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, where they performed a medley of their hits, 'Long Train Runnin' and 'Takin' It To The Streets.'
2016: Canada's The Tragically Hip performed their last concert to a sell-out crowd in Kingston, Ontario at the end of an emotional fifteen date farewell tour. Lead singer Gord Downie revealed earlier in year that he was battling terminal brain cancer.
2016: Alice Cooper told CNN that he had decided to run for President Of The United States and had chosen actor Tom Hanks as his running mate. With tongue firmly in cheek, he said that his campaign slogan is "I can do nothing as well as they can do nothing," referencing Democratic and Republican Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, adding that his platform is "nonexistent."
2016: Former 3 Doors Down guitarist Matt Roberts is found dead in a Wisconsin hotel room at age 38, presumably from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

August 21
1954: Elvis Presley appears at his first gig outside Tennessee at The Mint Club in Gladewater, Texas. The show was promoted by Tom Perryman, a local DJ, who will continue to book Elvis in the northeast Texas area well into the following year.
1961: Elvis Presley started a three-week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'Something For Everybody' his sixth US #1 album.
1961: Patsy Cline recorded the classic Willie Nelson song, ‘Crazy.' Cline was still on crutches after going through a car windshield in a head-on collision two months earlier and had difficulty reaching the high notes of the song at first due to her broken ribs. 'Crazy' spent 21 weeks on the chart and eventually became one of her signature tunes.
1965: The Rolling Stones' 'Out Of Our Heads' with '(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction,' tops the U.S. album chart. It has a three week run at #1. It's the first Rolling Stones album recorded in stereo.
1965: During a 17 date UK tour, The Who played at the Palais in Bournemouth.
1966: The Doors are fired from the Whiskey-A-Go-Go following Jim Morrison's profanity filled/Oedipus laced version of 'The End.' Fortunately, the band signed a recording contract with Elektra Records only days earlier.
1966: On their last ever U.S. tour The Beatles performed in two cities due to a cancellation due to rain the previous day. First they performed at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio. Then they flew to St. Louis, Missouri, for a concert at Busch Stadium, where they performed under a tarpaulin due to heavy rain. It was this gig that convinced Paul McCartney that The Beatles should stop performing live.
1967: The Doors started recording their 2nd album 'Strange Days' at Sunset Sound Studios in Hollywood, California.
1968: Tommy James and The Shondells returned to the #1 position on the Billboard Charts Hot 100 for the second time with the single 'Mony Mony'.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Carousel Theatre in Framingham, Massachusetts.
1969: Yes played at the Star Club in Hamburg, Germany.
1970: Led Zeppelin performed at Assembly Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
1971: The Band performed at Borough of York Stadium in Toronto, Ontario.
1971: Janis Joplin's 'Get It While You Can' b/w 'Move Over' 45 single is released. It peaked at #78 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1971: Creedence Clearwater Revival peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Sweet Hitch-Hiker' which was their final top 10 single in the U.S.
1971: Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come, Hawkwind, Duster Bennett, Brewers Droop, Indian Summer, Graphite and Queen all appeared at the Tregye Festival Truro, Cornwall, England.
1972: Tough time for Jefferson Airplane in Akron. First, there's a phoned-in bomb threat. Next, the audience starts pelting police cars with rocks. The cops respond with tear gas. Jack Casady was arrested after a fight broke out on stage during a concert when the police had been called “pigs.” Singer Grace Slick and guitarist Paul Kantner go check on Casady, with Slick getting maced and Kantner getting slammed to the floor.
1973: The Allman Brothers Band 'Brothers And Sisters' album goes gold.
1974: Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young appear at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.
1976: The Rolling Stones headline the Knebworth festival in front of 200,000. It's advertised as the group's last ever U.K. show. Todd Rundgren's Utopia, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 10cc, Hot Tuna and others are also on the bill.
1976: RCA Victor announced that sales of Elvis Presley records had passed the 400 million mark.
1977: Yes appeared at War Memorial Auditorium in Rochester, New York.
1977: Motörhead release their self-titled debut studio album. It is considered the band's first album, as the recordings they did with United Artists were shelved until 1979.
1978: AC/DC performed at the Paradise Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.
1978: Aerosmith records 'Come Together' for the 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' soundtrack. George Martin produces The Beatles cover.
1978: Paul McCartney & Wings 'London Town' b/w 'I'm Carrying' 45 single is released. A top 40 hit in the United States (#39 on the Billboard Hot 100), the single topped out at #60 in the UK.
1979: Van Halen played at the MECCA Arena in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1980: Blue Oyster Cult appeared at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado.
1980: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
1980: Linda Ronstadt debuted on Broadway in the production of Gilbert and Sullivan's, 'The Pirates of Penzance.'
1981: The Allman Brothers Band performed at Cape Cod Coliseum in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
1982: Crosby, Stills and Nash peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Wasted on the Way' which was their second and final top 10 single in the U.S.
1982: U2 singer Bono married Alison Stewart, his girlfriend from 1975 at All Saints Church, Raheny in Ireland. U2 bassist Adam Clayton acted as Bono’s best man.
1982: Status Quo, Gillan, Saxon, Hawkwind, Uriah Heep and Anvil performed at the Monsters of Rock festival in Donington, England.
1983: The Grateful Dead performed at Frost Amphitheater on the campus of Stanford University in Palo Alto, California.
1983: The Ramones' lead guitarist Johnny Ramone, (real name: John Cummings) undergoes emergency surgery to remove blood clots from his brain following a fight with Seth Micklaw of the Punk band Sub Zero Construction. Ramone picked a fight after seeing his girlfriend, Cynthia Whitney, with Micklaw. The brief scrap ended with Ramone receiving kicks to the head with steel capped boots.
1985: Bon Jovi release their single, 'The Hardest Part Is The Night,' from the album '7800° Fahrenheit.'
1986: Eric Clapton's son Conor is born. Four years later, Conor dies in a tragic accident, prompting Clapton to write 'Tears In Heaven.'
1986: Warlock released the album 'True As Steel.' The music video for the song 'Fight for Rock' was aired on MTV's Headbangers Ball.
1987: Metallica released their 'The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited' EP. The album reached #28 on the Billboard chart.
It was the band’s first recording with bassist Jason Newsted.
1989: Jethro Tull release their 17th studio album, 'Rock Island.' It released #56 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, while the single 'Kissing Willie' reached #6 on the Mainstream Rock chart.
1989: King Diamond released the album 'Conspiracy.' It was the last album to feature drummer Mikkey Dee who left the group but recorded the album as a session member.
1990: Alice In Chains release their debut full-length album 'Facelift.' 'Man In The Box'was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal in 1992.
1990: Anthrax released their 5th studio album, 'Persistence of Time.' It was nominated in 1991 for a Grammy Award in the Best Metal Performance category.
1990: House Of Lords release the 2nd studio album, 'Sahara.' The band did a cover of the Blind Faith song 'Can't Find My Way Home' on this album.
1990: Stryper release their 5th studio album, 'Against the Law.' 'Shining Star' is a cover of the Earth, Wind & Fire song.
1990: Firehouse release their self-titled debut album.
1990: Ratt released their 5th studio album, 'Detonator.' The album reached #23 on the Billboard chart.
1990: Jane's Addiction release their 2nd studio album, 'Ritual de lo habitual.'
1992: Eric Clapton & Elton John began a co-headlining two night stand at Shea Stadium in Flushing, NY. Both concerts sold out in 90 minutes.
1993: Elton John's longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin marries his third wife, Stephanie Haymes.
1994: Metallica performed the final date on their three year tour in support of their self-titled fifth album at Bicentennial Park in Miami. During the concert, Judas Priest singer Rob Halford sang guest vocals on a rendition of Judas Priest’s 'Rapid Fire.' While touring in support of 'the black album,' they performed over 300 concerts.
1995: R.E.M. filed a trademark infringement suit against the Hershey Food Corporation claiming they launched an unauthorized “Kit Kat/R.E.M. Concert” for free tickets and trips, alleging injury to business reputation, false advertising & deceptive practices.
1996: David Byrne, formerly of the Talking Heads, files suit against the rest of the group performing under the name, The Heads. The dispute ends up being settled out of court.
1997: Oasis’ 3rd album 'Be Here Now,' became one of the fastest selling albums ever, shifting over 350,000 units on the first day of release. The cover image for 'Be Here Now' was shot at Stocks House in Hertfordshire, the former home of Victor Lownes, the head of the Playboy Clubs in the UK.
2000: Survivor filed a lawsuit against TVT Records after they released a soundtrack to the TV show ‘Survivor.’ Survivor guitarist Frankie Sullivan said, "It’s unfortunate that after 23 years of building, promoting, and protecting the name of our band, someone can suddenly come along and release a recording that uses our name and takes away everything we have worked for."
2005: The Rolling Stones kicked off their tour in support of 'A Bigger Bang' at Fenway Park in Boston. The tour would go on to be the biggest grossing tour of all time grossing over $550 million.
2005: Robert A. Moog, whose self-named synthesizers opened the door for the musical evolution of electronics, died of cancer at the age of 71. Dr. Moog built his first electronic instrument, a theremin – aged 14 and made the MiniMoog, “the first compact, easy-to-use synthesizer” in 1970. He won the Polar prize, Sweden’s, music equivalent to the Nobel prize, in 2001. Wendy Carlos’ 1968 Grammy award-winning album, Switched-On Bach, brought Dr Moog to prominence.
2007: The soundtrack to Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx's biography 'The Heroin Diaries' is released. Recorded by Sixx: AM, each track matches a chapter in the book. "It's given me some closure on a lot of different issues, to be able to discover, through the book, what was driving me," explains Sixx. 'Life Is Beautiful' is the first single.
2007: The soundtrack to the Rob Zombie directed remake of the 1978 horror classic 'Halloween' is released. It features Blue Oyster Cult's signature tune 'Don't Fear the Reaper,' plus songs from KISS, Rush, Alice Cooper and Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
2007: Paul McCartney releases the 'Live At The ICA' EP. The set was recorded at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts in conjunction with the first iTunes Festival. The recording is initially available exclusively through iTunes.
2007: 'Dear Mr. Fantasy: A Celebration For Jim Capaldi' is released. The album is a tribute to the late Traffic percussionist/vocalist. There are performances by Capaldi's Traffic bandmate Steve Winwood, The Who's Pete Townshend, ex-Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman and former Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord.
2008: Metallica released the single 'The Day That Never Comes.' The song debuted and peaked on Billboard’s Hot 100 at #31, giving the band their 7th top forty Hot 100 hit.
2008: Metallica wins the Inspiration Award at the Kerrang! Awards in London. "There are so many people in this room that inspire us," says drummer Lars Ulrich. "I just want to thank everyone for keeping Metallica alive." Rage Against The Machine takes the Hall of Fame award while Slipknot collects the Kerrang! Icon award. "I'm speechless," exclaims Slipknot's Corey Taylor. "I just showed up for the booze." 30 Seconds To Mars pick up two awards: Best Single and Best International Band.
2008: Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale have their second child: a son named Zuma Nesta Rock.
2008: Weezer and their fans set five official Guinness World Records in L.A. while shooting the video for 'Troublemaker,' a single off the band's self-titled album (aka 'The Red Album'). The records are for the Largest Air Guitar Ensemble, the Largest Game of Dodgeball, Most People in a Custard Pie Fight, Most People Riding on a Skateboard and Longest Guitar Hero World Tour Marathon.
2008: Bison, a band with Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, members of Velvet Revolver and the Presidents Of The United States Of America, play a charity concert in Seattle. The event raises money for the local Youngstown Cultural Arts Center.
2008: Drummer Buddy Harman died of congestive heart failure at age 79. He worked with Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Tammy Wynette. Harman was the first house drummer for The Grand Ole Opry and can be heard on over 18,000 recordings.
2008: Paedophile and ex-pop star Gary Glitter returned to Thailand after being refused entry to Hong Kong. Chinese authorities informed the UK Foreign Office they had barred Glitter from entry. He was earlier deported from Vietnam after spending almost three years in jail for sexually abusing two girls. He flew to Hong Kong from Bangkok after refusing to fly to the UK, and had made a plea for medical treatment after saying he was suffering a heart attack.
2009: "Macbeth is about twice as bloody as anything I would do," says Alice Cooper reacting to a concert ban by the conservative managers of a Tampere, Finland, arena. They deem Cooper an "artists who express suspicious values." Cooper adds that a performance of Shakespeare's MacBeth would probably be OK in Tampere even though it's very violent. The concert is relocated to a more favorable location.
2009: Police drummer Stewart Copeland unveils an instrumental piece at the La Jolla Music Society's SummerFest.
2010: Cridersville, OH, becomes Snidersville in honor of Twisted Sister's Dee Snider. The change comes after Snider jokingly makes the request on his radio show. "Having a town change its name to mine, even though it is changing only a few letters, is one of the coolest things that's ever happened to me," says Snider.
2011: Kings Of Leon's documentary 'Talihina Sky' makes its television premiere on Showtime. The film, directed by Stephen C. Mitchell, includes home video recordings as well as behind the scenes footage of the band.
2011: Rod Stewart's becomes a grandfather for the first time when his daughter Kimberly gives birth to her own daughter, Delilah Genoveva del Toro (the result of a liaison with actor Benicio del Toro).
2012: The Darkness release their 3rd studio album, 'Hot Cakes.'
2012: Lisa Marie Presley made her Grand Ole Opry debut where she wowed the sold-out audience by performing three songs from her current album, "Storm & Grace
2013: Legendary concert promoter Sid Bernstein, best known for booking The Beatles at Carnegie Hall and later Shea Stadium, died at the age of 95. He also worked with other British groups, including The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and The Animals.
2013: Metallica play Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the first time.
2014: Sir Paul McCartney topped a list of the richest bassists in the world with estimated wealth of $1.2 billion according to the website www.therichest.com. Coming in at number two were Sting and Gene Simmons, both with a net worth of $300 million, followed by Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, U2's Adam Clayton and Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
2015: When the Westboro Baptist Church, famous for their anti-gay demonstrations, stage a protest before a Foo Fighters concert in Kansas City, the band responds by driving a truck in front of the demonstrators and Rickrolling them by blasting Rick Astley's'"Never Gonna Give You Up.'
2015: To mark the release of the album 'Up,' the mayor of Grand Rapids, George Heartwell, declares it "Pop Evil Day.” Though they are from North Muskego, Pop Evil began their recording career in Grand Rapids.
2015: P.O.D. release their 'The Awakening' album. "Every song ultimately explores a character dealing with life, making mistakes, fighting, trying. But we also live in a singles-type world, and it works on that level, too," says frontman Sonny Sandoval.
2015: Disturbed release 'Immortalized,' their first album in nearly five years.
2015: Bon Jovi release their 13th studio album, 'Burning Bridges.' It is their first without guitarist Richie Sambora.
2015: Buckcherry release their 7th full-length record, 'Rock n' Roll.' "There's been so much talk about how Rock n' Roll is dead and all of this bullshit," explains frontman Josh Todd. "The funny thing is, that's been going on since we put out our first record in 1999.
2015: Slash joins Sweden's Graveyard on stage at the Marshall London party in Stockholm, where the company debuts their new smartphone.
2016: The Tragically Hip play their final concert, calling it quits at a show in lead singer Gord Downie's hometown of Kingston, Ontario. Downie was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in December 2015. The show was broadcast live across Canada and was shown at hundreds of public screenings across the country in bars and outdoor venues.
2017: Bonnie Tyler sings 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart' during a total eclipse. The performance takes place on the Total Eclipse Cruise chartered by Royal Caribbean.
2017: Ozzy Osbourne performs during a total solar eclipse at Moonstock in Carterville, IL. His set commences with 'Bark At The Moon.' 2017: Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side Of The Moon,' a ’73 release, sees a 160-percent sales increase leading up to the solar eclipse in North America.

August 22
1906: The Victor Talking Machine Company, based in Camden, NJ, begins manufacturing the world's first mass-market home record player, the Victrola. The hand-cranked unit, with horn cabinet, retailed for $200. Records were purchased separately, usually in the appliance stores that sold the machines, at a cost of between $1 and $7. Famed conductor John Philip Sousa predicted "a marked deterioration in American music" and said that generations of amateur musicians would give way to "canned music."
1956: Elvis Presley began working on his first movie, 'Love Me Tender.' In the drama that was set during and just after the Civil War, Elvis played Clint Reno, the youngest of four brothers. The original title for the movie was 'The Reno Brothers, but was changed to take advantage of the 'Love Me Tender' song recorded for the film.
1956: The Five Satins make their debut on the Billboard R&B chart with a song they recorded in a New Haven, Connecticut church basement, 'In The Still of the Night.' Originally issued as a "B" side on the tiny Standard label, the song was re-released by Ember Records after some strong local sales. The 45 would rise to #3 on the R&B chart and #24 on the Pop chart, selling over a million copies.
1960: Elvis Presley's 'It's Now Or Never' is released in the UK following a wait to obtain a copyright clearance. The song is really just a re-worded version of Enrico Caruso's 1916 hit, 'O Sole Mio.'
1962: The first TV appearance of The Beatles was recorded by Manchester based Granada TV, who filmed a lunchtime session at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, (the performance was shown on October 17, 1962).
1962: An early form of karaoke is introduced at the Radio Show at Earl's Court in London, England. A new machine allows the integration of voice to guitars, tapes and even radio, making it possible to sing and play along with records.
1963: EMI announces a half-million advance orders in Britain for The Beatles' upcoming single, 'She Loves You.'
1963: Billy J. Kramer And The Dakotas went to #1 on the UK singles chart with 'Bad To Me.' A song John Lennon wrote for them while on holiday in Spain with Brian Epstein. The track later became the first Lennon–McCartney composition to reach the Top 40 for an artist other than The Beatles.
1963: The Beach Boys play Wheeling Downs Roller Rink in Wheeling, WV. It was David Marks 15th Birthday.
1964: Martha And The Vandellas' 'Dancing In The Streets' is released. The song will become the group's biggest hit, reaching #2 in the U.S. and #28 in the UK.
1964: Liberty Records reports that the album 'The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles' is selling 25,000 copies a day.
1965: The Beatles performed two shows at Memorial Coliseum in Portland, Oregon. Between performances, The Beatles were visited in their dressing-room by Carl Wilson and Mike Love of the Beach Boys.
1965: Awaiting their favorite group at Granada Television's Manchester, England studios, over 200 screaming Rolling Stones fans break through security barriers, causing the security guards on duty to turn the fire hoses on them.
1966: Police in New York City managed to talk teenagers Carol Hopkins and Susan Richmond down from a 22nd floor ledge. The girls had threatened to commit suicide unless they met The Beatles.
1966: The Beatles' LP 'Revolver' is certified gold.
1966: Jerry Lee Lewis is cast as Iago in 'Catch My Soul,' a musical version of Shakespeare's Othello. Somewhat surprisingly, Lewis garners good reviews.
1967: The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared on the BBC TV 'Simon Dee show.' Kiki Dee and Cat Stevens were also guests on the show.
1968: The Who performed at Municipal Auditorium Music Hall in Kansas City, Missouri.
1968: The Grateful Dead appeared at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.
1968: Ringo Starr quit The Beatles during the 'White Album' sessions when the constant bickering and tension became too much for him. The news of Ringo's departure was kept secret, and he rejoined the sessions on September 3rd. After Ringo walked out, the remaining Beatles recorded 'Back In the USSR,' with Paul on drums and John playing bass.
1968: John Lennon’s wife, Cynthia, sued him for divorce after she discovered Yoko Ono living in their London home, one day before their sixth anniversary.
1969: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison joined John Lennon at his newly purchased 72-acre estate with Yoko Ono in Sunninghill, Berkshire for a photo shoot by Ethan Russell and Monte Fresco. It was the last time all four members were together for band duties, after their only meetings were business-related. Yoko Ono and a pregnant Linda McCartney (she was to give birth to daughter Mary six days later) appeared in some photographs with The Beatles.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at Pirates World in Dania, Florida. Also on the bill were The Royal Ascots, Brimstone and The Echo.
1969: The three-day Wild West Festival started at San Francisco’s Kezar Stadium. It featured performances by Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Mike Bloomfield, Jefferson Airplane band, Country Joe & The Fish Santana, Sly & the Family Stone and The Youngbloods.
1969: Blind Faith performed at Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah during their one and only tour of North America. It was not until a 2008 that Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood would share the stage again.
1970: Creedence Clearwater Revival started a nine-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart with their 5th studio album 'Cosmo's Factory.' The name of the album comes from the warehouse in Berkeley where the band rehearsed. Bandleader John Fogerty was so insistent on practicing (nearly every day) that drummer Doug "Cosmo" Clifford began referring to the place as "the factory".
1970: Eric Clapton entered the studio to begin recording the Derek & The Dominos album 'Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs.'
1970: Elton John signs with Uni, a division of MCA Records, as a solo act.
1970: After leaving The Animals the year before, Eric Burdon made a return to the charts when his new band, War, scored a #3 hit with 'Spill The Wine.' Burdon would split from War in 1971.
1970: The Moody Blues started a three-week run at #1 on the UK album chart with 'A Question Of Balance.' It charted as high as #3 in the US.
1970: Derek and the Dominos appeared at the Van Dike in Plymouth, England.
1971: Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul & Mary all appeared at the Odeon Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1972: Genesis appeared at the Teatro Alcione in Genoa, Italy.
1973: Hawkwind performed at Assembly Hall in Worthing in West Sussex, England.
1974: During the recording sessions for David Bowie’s 'Young Americans,' the fans had keeping a vigil outside Philadelphia’s Sigma Sound Studios, and were invited into the studio at 5 am to hear a playback of the album so Bowie could see their reactions to the music.
1975: Black Sabbath appeared at the International Amphitheater in Chicago, Illinois.
1975: America performed at the Canadian National Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.
1975: Manfred Mann`s Earth Band's 'Nightingales & Bombers' is released. It reached #120 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
1976: Yes played at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
1977: Donovan performed at Cobo Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
1977: Peter Frampton mania is in full bloom as the singer/guitarist plays the first of three sold out Madison Square Garden shows.
1977: Dennis Wilson's 'Pacific Ocean Blue' album is released. It reached #96 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart during its 12 weeks stay. He was the first member of The Beach Boys to undertake a solo project.
1978: Sex Pistol Sid Vicious made his last live stage appearance when he appeared with Rat Scabies from The Damned, former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock and Nancy Spungen at London's Electric Ballroom. In the audience: Elvis Costello, Blondie, Joan Jett, The Slits and Captain Sensible.
1980: Yes release their 10th studio album, 'Drama.' It reached #18 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, and #2 on the UK Albums chart.
1980: During a North American tour Queen appeared at The Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1980: The Doobie Brothers 'Real Love' b/w 'Thank You Love' 45 single is released. 'Real Love' reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1981: AC/DC, Whitesnake, Blue Öyster Cult, Slade, Blackfoot and More performed at the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the U.K.
1981: Foreigner's '4' is the top album in the U.S. It has a ten week run at #1. It spends a whopping 81 weeks on the chart. ‬
1981: Duran Duran hits the top 10 for the 1st time as 'Girls On Film' peaks at #5 on the UK's Official singles chart.‬
1982: Blue Oyster Cult played at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver in British Columbia.
1984: Aerosmith appeared at Golden Hall in San Diego, California.
1984: Krokus release their 8th studio album, 'The Blitz.'
1985: Rick Nelson and Fats Domino begin filming the PBS-TV special 'Rockin' With Rick And Fats,' which will turn out to be Nelson's last television appearance before his untimely death in a plane crash.
1987: Bon Jovi headlines the 8th annual Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the U.K. Other acts include Dio, Metallica, Anthrax, W.A.S.P. and Cinderella. For the encores, Paul Stanley of Kiss, Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and Dee Snider of Twisted Sister join them onstage for CCR’s 'Travelin’ Band' and Grand Funk’s 'We’re An American Band.'
1987: The Band's Levon Helm performs at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Well known local, Bruce Springsteen, joins Helm for 'Up On Cripple Creek' and Little Richard's 'Lucille.'
1987: The Grateful Dead peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with 'In the Dark' which was their highest charting album and goes on to sell two million copies in the U.S.
1989: L.A. Guns release their 2nd studio album, 'Cocked & Loaded.'
1989: Enuff Z'Nuff release their self-titled debut studio album.
1991: KISS released their single, 'God Gave Rock 'N' Roll to You II.'
1992: Iron Maiden, Skid Row, Thunder, Slayer, W.A.S.P. and The Almighty performed at the Monsters of Rock festival at Castle Donington in the U.K.
1992: Sting and Trudie Styler held their wedding reception, (the couple married on August 20, 1992), after The Troggs had played a set, all three members of The Police got on stage and played a couple of numbers.
1992: Nearly a year after its initial release, Pearl Jam's 'Ten' LP peaks at #2 (behind Billy Ray Cyrus) on the U.S. chart. 'Ten' spent four weeks at #2.
1994: Pearl Jam's manager Kelly Curtis announces that drummer Dave Abbruzzese has left the band to formally study music. Four days later Abbruzzese claims he was fired. Jack Irons is his replacement.
1995: The soundtrack for the film Empire Records has the Gins Blossoms' hit 'Til I Hear It From You.'
1998: Actor Jim Carrey joined Elton John onstage at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California to sing 'Rocket Man.' After a reasonably straight rendition, Carrey sits at the piano and smashes his head into the keys.
2001: An attack of severe bronchitis causes Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks to cancel two upcoming shows.
2002: Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider was fired from his Connecticut radio show.
2003: Norwegian Elvis impersonator Kjell Bjornestad set a new world record by performing the King's repertoire for 26 straight hours. The previous record was set by British Elvis fan Gary Jay who sang for 25 hours 33 minutes and 30 seconds.
2004: Bandleader Al Dvorin, who coined the phrase "Elvis has left he building," died in a car accident near Ivanpah, California at age 82. He organized the King's concerts for 22 years, starting in 1955.
2005: Ex-Fuel drummer Kevin Miller files a lawsuit in a Pennsylvania court against several corporate entities that represent his former band. Miller, who was kicked out of the group in August of 2004, seeks unspecified compensation. He claims that he's owed $141,000 from an advance Fuel received for their 2003 'Natural Selection' album, and is also seeking a cut of the profits from his last tour with the group, which he was told "did not make any money."
2006: Army Of Anyone, with ex-Filter frontman Richard Patrick and sibling Stone Temple Pilots, Dean and Robert DeLeo, and drummer Ray Luzier shoot a video in L.A. for their self-titled debut album's first single 'Goodbye.'
2006: Gov't Mule, fronted by Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes, release 'High & Mighty.'
2006: 'An Ox's Tale,' a documentary about John Entwistle, the late bassist for The Who, is released on DVD. Narrated by Peter Frampton, the package includes Entwistle concert footage and interviews.
2006: Bruce Gary (drummer for The Knack) dies of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Tarzana, California at 55. After the breakup of The Knack in 1982, Gary became an in-demand session drummer for artist including Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Stephen Stills, Rod Stewart, Bette Midler, Harry Nilsson and Doors guitarist Robby Krieger. He also worked with blues masters Albert King and John Lee Hooker.
2007: Queen's guitarist Brian May was awarded a doctorate in Astronomy from London's Imperial College, 36 years after starting his thesis. May, who abandoned his studies to pursue a career in music, was told of his success after acing a three-hour oral exam to discuss his work, in which he discusses his thesis, Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud. The 60-year-old, who handed in his 48,000-word tome earlier in the month, said: "You can call me Dr. May!"
2008: Disgraced pop star Gary Glitter (real name: Paul Francis Gadd) arrived back in Britain after being thrown out of Vietnam after serving two years and three months for abusing two girls aged 10 and 11. In an attempt to escape repatriation, Glitter flew 2,661 miles from Vietnam to Bangkok, then to Hong Kong, then back to Bangkok. Each country denied him entry. He spent three days in Asian airports desperately searching for another country willing to take him after at least 19 turned him down, but was left with no option but to return to Britain. Glitter had to sign the sex offenders' register and his movements in Britain were restricted to keep him from approaching children.
2008: Lynyrd Skynyrd and Kid Rock perform together on ABC's 'Good Morning America.'
2008: The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association honor Jackson Browne as its Environmentalist of the Year at the organization's annual Waterman's Weekend bash in Dana Point, CA. The benefit raises money for the SIMA Environmental Fund.
2009: Johnny Carter, who was a member of doo-wop groups The Dells and The Flamingos, died at age 75. Carter who was famed for his falsetto vocals, was one of the few artists to be inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with two acts.
2009: Nine Inch Nails begin their 'Wave Goodbye' club tour in New York. "NIN as a touring live band... is stopping," explains frontman Trent Reznor. "I think creatively, my time would be better spent on other stuff that could be NIN or outside NIN."
2009: Ozzy Osbourne performs during the closing festivities of the BlizzCon gaming convention in Anaheim, CA.
2009: John Carter, a member of both The Dells and The Flamingos, died of lung cancer at the age of 75. He is one of the few artists to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with two different acts.
2010: Plans were announced to auction the toilet seat from John Lennon's Tittenhurst Park luxury mansion in Berkshire, England. The device was expected to fetch $1,500.
2010: 'All You Need Is Klaus,' an Inside The Music segment airs on the Smithsonian Channel. It looks at the life of musician and artist Klaus Voormann. He was The Beatles friend in Hamburg and did the cover artwork for the 'Revolver' album. In addition, Voormann was the bassist for Manfred Mann in the '60s. The segment features appearances by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
2011: The Red Hot Chili Peppers stream their 10th album, 'I'm With You,' online via iTunes. The group also puts on a global listening party that is broadcast at Redhotchilipeppers.com. The CD drops a week later.
2011: Jerry Leiber, half of the Leiber/Stoller songwriting team, dies of cardio-pulmonary failure in Los Angeles at age 78. With Stoller, he wrote many hits including 'Hound Dog,' 'Jailhouse Rock,' 'Stand By Me,' 'Poison Ivy,' 'Love Potion #9' and 'Stuck in the Middle With You.' They were both inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
2012: Dee Snider of Twisted Sister objects to Presidential candidate Mitt Romney using Twisted Sister's songs at any political rally after Romney's VP candidate Rep. Paul Ryan, used the band's biggest hit used 'We're Not Gonna Take It' at a recent rally in Pennsylvania. "I emphatically denounce Paul Ryan's use of my band Twisted Sister's song in any capacity," says Snider. "There is almost nothing he stands for that I agree with."
2012: Billboard reports that Linkin Park's debut album, 'Hybrid Theory,' released in 2000, has sold over 10 million copies in the U.S., enough to earn the group a diamond certification.
2014: John Lennon's killer, 59-year-old Mark David Chapman, was denied parole by New York State officials for the eighth time. In handing down their decision, the parole board said, "Your release would be incompatible with the welfare of society and would so deprecate the serious nature of the crime as to undermine respect for the law."
2015: 30 Seconds To Mars take fans on a musical three-day camping trip in Malibu. Camp Mars activities include "hiking, climbing, yoga, cooking classes and camp fire sing-a-longs."
2015: The Sebastian Bach & Suzanne Le Rock N' Roll Wedding Extravaganza has the former Skid Row frontman and his bride inviting fans to their wedding reception in San Jose for a mere $300 per person.
2016: It was reported that Pills seized from the home of Prince contained the dangerously powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl but were mislabelled. Officials investigating the artist's death said the pills were labelled as hydrocodone, a weaker type of opioid. Autopsy results released in June revealed Prince died of an accidental fentanyl overdose.
2016: Guns N' Roses close out their "Not In This Lifetime" North American reunion tour at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. They hit the stage a half an hour later than scheduled (some things never change) and delivered a 26-song set and are presented with a special plaque for selling over one-million tickets. South America is the next stop.
2016: A plaque honoring David Bowie is unveiled in Berlin at Hauptstrasse 155. Bowie lived there from ’76 to ’78. He recorded three albums in Berlin, including 'Heroes.'
2017: The launch of a Pennywise beer is announced. The band teams up with Lost Coast Brewery. “Pennywiser” marks the first time the brewery has teamed with a band to produce a beer.

August 23
1962: John Lennon marries his pregnant girlfriend, Cynthia Powell at the Mount Pleasant Registry Office in Liverpool. Fellow Beatles George and Paul were in attendance, with McCartney serving as best man. John’s wedding night was spent playing with the Beatles at Liverpool’s Riverpark Ballroom.
1963: The Beatles release 'She Loves You' in the United Kingdom. It sets a British sales record remaining on the chart for thirty-one consecutive weeks, eighteen of those in the top three.
1963: The Rolling Stones appeared on UK TV show 'Ready, Steady, Go!' for the first time, performing their debut single 'Come On.' The group made 20 appearances on the show between 1963 and 1966.
1963: The Beach Boys played Stardust Gardens in Le Sounurdsville Lake Amusement Park in Middletown, Ohio.
1964: The Beatles perform at the Hollywood Bowl. The concert was to be recorded for a live album, but the screaming crowd lowers the sound quality and the album is scrapped, although some of the audio it was released eventually on the 1977 The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl live album.
1965: The Beatles LP 'Help!' is certified gold.
1965: The Beatles' second film, 'Help!' has its US premiere in New York City.
1966: On their final tour of America, The Beatles performed at Shea Stadium in New York City. Unlike the previous year's sold out performance, there were 11,000 empty seats in the 55,600 seat stadium. The Beatles receive $189,000 for their performance, earning more than the previous year's show.
1966: The Beatles were at #1 on the singles chart with the double a sided ‘Yellow Submarine – Eleanor Rigby.' The group’s eleventh #1.
1966: In Chicago, Big Brother & The Holding Company signed to Mainstream Records in return for airfare back to San Francisco.
1967: During a North American tour Herman’s Hermits supported by The Who appeared at Atwood Stadium in Flint, Michigan.
1967: Britain's Top Of The Pops rejects the Rolling Stones film for their song 'We Love You.' They find it unsuitable.
1967: Joni Mitchell played her first ever UK show when she opened for The Piccadilly Line at The Marquee Club in London.
1968: Flushing Meadows in Queens hosted the New York Rock Festival, which featured the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Big Brother & The Holding Company and The Soft Machine.
1968: Ringo Starr temporarily quit The Beatles, walking out on the White Album sessions. Paul McCartney takes his place on drums for 'Back In The U.S.S.R.' and 'Dear Prudence,' but The Beatles welcome Ringo back with flowers on his drum kit when he returns.
1968: Fleetwood Mac release their 2nd album, 'Mr. Wonderful.'
1968: Pink Floyd played the first two nights on the last stop of their US tour at The Bank, in Torrence, California..
1969: Johnny Cash started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'Johnny Cash At San Quentin.'
1969: The Rolling Stones started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart with 'Honky Tonk Women' the group's fifth US #1. The song written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards was inspired by Brazilian gauchos at the ranch where Jagger and Richards were staying in Matao, Sao Paulo. Released the day after Brian Jones' funeral, it's the group's first hit with guitarist Mick Taylor.
1969: The self titled-debut, 'Blind Faith,' enters the U.S. album chart eventually reaching #1.
1969: Ibex, featuring vocalist Freddie Bulsara (later Freddie Mercury), played a gig at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton, Lancashire, UK.
1969: The Grateful Dead played at Pelletier Farm, in St. Helens, Oregon, after local officials denied the promoters the opportunity to stage a three day festival at the Columbia County Fairgrounds.
1969: The Guess Who peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Laughing' which was their second top ten single in the U.S.
1969: Johnny Cash started a four-week run at #1 on the US album chart with 'Johnny Cash At San Quentin.'
1970: Lou Reed left The Velvet Underground following a gig at the New York club Max’s Kansas City. Reed worked as a typist for his father for the next two years, at $40 per week. The group’s manager carried on and made Doug Yule the frontman. Yule toured with a variety of line-ups and the band’s final 1973 album 'Squeeze' featured no original members.
1971: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Tarrant County Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
1972: The Who appear at Kungliga Tennishallen in Stockholm, Sweden.
1974: Aerosmith played at the Parthenon Theatre in Hammond, Indiana, an old movie house with a capacity of over 2500, dating back to the 1920’s.
1974: It is reported that John Lennon, while staying in his mistress' May Pang's New York apartment during his infamous "lost weekend," spotted a UFO. John's next album, 'Walls and Bridges,' contains this notation in the inner booklet: "On 23 August 1974, I saw a UFO J.L."
1974: Max Weinberg joins Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band on drums.
1975: Paul Kossoff, former guitarist with English rockers Free, had a scare when his heart stopped beating for 35 minutes. Doctors at a London hospital kept him alive until a blood clot in his leg was removed. Kossoff later emerged from his coma and returned to his band Black Night Crawler. He died the following year.
1975: Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled album entered the charts. It was the former blues band’s first record with pop-oriented songwriters Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham on board.
1975: 'One of These Nights' by the Eagles entered its last week atop the US album charts. Elton John’s 'Captain Fantastic' would knock it from the #1 spot.
1975: The following groups performed at the Reading Festival – Alan Stivell, Babe Ruth, Heavy Metal Kids, Kursaal Flyers, Snafu, Supertramp, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Thin Lizzy, Yes, Zzebra.
1975: Rod Stewart & Faces, Uriah Heep, Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult and Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush performed as part of the World Series of Rock at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio.
1976: The Beach Boys become the first Rock band ever to appear on the cover of People magazine. The caption that accompanied a picture of the five original members, all sporting beards, read: "Still Riding The Crest, 15 Hairy Years Later."
1977: Rush performed at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto.
1978: Steve Martin's 'King Tut' single is certified gold. It reached #17 on the Billboard chart and sold over a million copies.
1980: Ontario, Canada's Heatwave Festival has The Talking Heads, The Pretenders and Elvis Costello, The B-52’s, Rockpile and The Rumour. Tickets cost $30 (£18.75). With only 50,000 people attending the festival, it lost over $1 million.
1980: Saturday night’s lineup at the Reading Festival was Broken Home, Grand Prix, Iron Maiden, Pat Travers Band, Quartz, Samson, UFO, and White Spirit.
1980: David Bowie's 'Ashes To Ashes' tops the UK music chart, giving him his first #1 single since 'Space Oddity' in 1975. The video for 'Ashes to Ashes' was one of the most iconic of the 1980s and costing £250,000 ($400,000). At the time it was one of the most expensive music videos ever made.
1980: Tygers Of Pan Tang release their debut album, 'Wild Cat.'
1983: Ratt release their self-titled 1st album.
1985: Aerosmith​ kick off their 'Done With Mirrors' Tour at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin.
1986: David Lee Roth peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with his debut full-length solo album 'Eat ‘Em and Smile' which went on to sell one million copies in the U.S.
1986: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes Andy Taylor’s 'Take It Easy' at #47, Van Halen’s 'Love Walks In' #44, Loverboy’s 'Heaven In Your Eyes' #40, Run DMC & Aerosmith 'Walk This Way' #20, David Lee Roth’s 'Yankee Rose' #18, and Berlin’s 'Take My Breath Away' at #7.
1987: At a 20th anniversary "Summer Of Love" celebration concert in Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angel Camp, California featuring the Grateful Dead, a man who escaped from a drug treatment facility shoots a policeman and is then shot dead.
1988: Jane's Addiction release their debut studio album, 'Nothing's Shocking.'
1989: Ric Ocasek, the lead singer and guitarist for The Cars, marries longtime girlfriend and model Paulina Porizkova on the Caribbean island of St. Bart’s.
1991: Dire Straits kicked off a two year tour at The Point Depot in Dublin. It was their first tour together since 1986.
1991: Iggy Pop, Sonic Youth, Pop Will Eat Itself, Dinosaur Jr, Chapterhouse, Nirvana, Silverfish, Babes in Toyland, James, The Fall, De La Soul, Blur, Teenage Fanclub, Flowered Up, The Fat Lady Sings, Kingmaker, Mercury Rev, Sisters of Mercy and Neds Atomic Dustbin all appeared at the three day Reading Festival in England.
1993: Duran Duran earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It's located at 1770 N. Vine St in front of Capitol Records, next to John Lennon's star.
1994: Tesla release their 4th studio album, 'Bust a Nut.'
1996: Liam Gallagher has laryngitis so his guitarist brother Noel sings on Oasis' MTV Unplugged session.
1997: The Oasis 'Be Here Now' album moves 696,000 copies in the first two days of its release becoming the fastest selling album in the U.K. Of course, it tops the chart.
1999: Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers marries his third wife, Patti Arnold, at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.
2000: Kenny Loggins is awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2004: 'Queen's Greatest Hits' is released in Iran. Queen is the first Rock band to receive the official seal of approval in Iran even though Western music is strictly prohibited and homosexuality is considered a serious crime. Queen's late singer, Freddie Mercury, who died of AIDs in 1991, was of Iranian ancestry.
2005: Velvet Revolver replaces Iron Maiden on the last seven Ozzfest dates. A prior tour obligation forces Iron Maiden to bail (and not a moment too soon since they were pelted with eggs and ran afoul of Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy's wife, during their last show). Velvet Revolver's first show is in Albuquerque.
2006: Maynard Ferguson dies from kidney and liver failure in Ojai, California. Ferguson was a Canadian jazz trumpet player and bandleader who came to prominence playing in Stan Kenton’s orchestra, before forming his own band in 1957. He was one of just a few bandleaders/musicians to survive the end of the big band era and the rise of rock and roll.
2007: Nine Inch Nails earn the Icon award and Judas Priest receive the Hall of Fame honor at the 14th annual Kerrang! Awards in London. My Chemical Romance snags the Best International Band honor.
2007: The Sky Academy Concerts begin in L.A. The two-day event is organized and headlined by original Scorpions guitarist Uli Jon Roth and features Doors guitarist Robby Krieger. The Sky Academy, founded by Roth, is a music education facility.
2007: Daughtry's Las Vegas concert on is filmed for AOL Music and is streamed in it entirety eight days later.
2008: Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger unveils an orchestral composition at UCLA in Los Angeles. "He's moving into ambitious territory," says singer Brandon Boyd.
2008: The seventh annual edition of the Layne Staley (the late Alice In Chains frontman) Tribute and Benefit Concert takes place in Seattle. Hurt and Tantric are the headliners. The show raises money for local substance-abuse rehabilitation and education programs via the Layne Staley Fund.
2009: Aerosmith's 'You Gotta Move,' from 2008's 'Honkin' On Bobo,' is the theme song for World Wrestling Entertainment's SummerSlam event at Staples Center in L.A.
2010: Bret Michaels and The Today Show's Natalie Morales host the Miss Universe Pageant in Las Vegas. Jimena Navarrete, Miss Mexico, is crowned Miss Universe.
2013: The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach gets divorced from Stephanie Gonis. She gets a $5 million settlement and is also awarded one of Auerbach's prized possessions; a lock of Bob Dylan's hair.
2013: Linda Ronstadt revealed that she is suffering from Parkinson's disease, which has left her unable to sing. She now uses poles to help her walk on uneven ground and travels with a wheelchair.
2013: Avenged Sevenfold release their 5th album, 'Hail To The King.' It is first A7X album to feature drummer Arin Ilegay (who replaced the late Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan).
2014: Rockastar Sports Group, with Motley Crue singer Vince Neil, is awarded an Arena Football League expansion team franchise in Las Vegas.
2015: Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses), Mark Arm (Mudhoney) and Barrett Martin (Screaming Trees/Mad Season) create a one-night only supergroup to pay tribute to Iggy Pop And The Stooges. They perform on the roof of Seattle's Pike Place Market.
2015: Patti Smith's elegy for the Adult Swim show 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' airs. Smith is a show fan.
2017: Ted Nugent claims that Facebook is "lying" about the number of his followers due to his conservative politics. He states he has more than seven times the 3.3 million fans that’s officially reported.

August 24
1956: Buddy Holly is in the audience when Little Richard plays the Cotton Club in Lubbock, Texas.
1959: A headline in Billboard magazine read, "Rock and Roll Ain't Ready For The Ol' Rockin' Chair Yet." The story stated that Rock 'n' Roll was losing popularity a year prior, but the record buyers now like Elvis Presley, Lloyd Price and Fats Domino along with new artists, The Everly Brothers, The Drifters and Ricky Nelson.
1964: The Beatles LP 'Something New' is certified gold.
1964: The Beatles 'Matchbox' b/w 'Slow Down' 45 single is released. 'Matchbox' is a rock and roll and rockabilly song written by Carl Perkins. It reached #17 on the Billboard pop singles chart.
1964: Taking him up on his telegram invitation to help out in any way he can in America, Beatles manager Brian Epstein meets Elvis Presley manager "Colonel" Tom Parker for the first time when they have lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
1964: The Beach Boys 'When I Grow Up (To Be A Man)' b/w 'She Knows Me Too Well' 45 single is released. It hit #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #7 in Cash Box. It spent two weeks at number one in Canada's national RPM chart. The B-side of the single was "She Knows Me Too Well" and stopped one place under the Hot 100. The lead vocal is shared by Brian Wilson and Mike Love.
1966: The Beatles hold a press conference at the Capitol Records Tower in Los Angeles.
1966: The Doors started recording their first album at Sunset Sound Recording Studios on West Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. The album is released the following January.
1966: The Youngbloods record their biggest hit, 'Get Together.' The single, which would be included on their self-titled album released in 1967, stalled at #62 at the time, but would be re-issued in 1969 and made the U.S. top 5 the second time around. The record flopped in Great Britain, but The Dave Clark Five would record a cover version that reached the UK Top 10 in 1970.
1967: John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi when they attend his lecture at the Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, London. They would later travel to India and study Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi. The band was convinced they should meet the guru by George Harrison’s then-wife, Patti. Mick Jagger and his then-girlfriend, Marianne Faithfull, tagged along.
1967: 17-year old singer and guitarist Bruce Springsteen joined a group called Earth.
1967: On the day after his 21st birthday, Who drummer Keith Moon drove his Lincoln car into a Holiday Inn swimming pool. The police were called to put an end to the festivities as the party got out of control, causing Moon to sneak outside his room and get into a Lincoln Continental Limousine and attempt to make a getaway. He released the handbrake, and began rolling towards the pool. Moon simply sat back and waited, as the car crashed through the fence around the pool and into the water.
1967: During a North American tour Herman’s Hermits supported by The Who performed at the Philadelphia Civic Center Convention Hall in Philadelphia, PA.
1968: Steppenwolf's landmark single 'Born To Be Wild' peaks at #2 on the U.S. pop chart (behind the Rascals 'People Gotta Be Free'). The song was written by Mars Bonfire (aka Dennis Edmonton, the brother of Steppenwolf drummer Jerry Edmonton).
1969: Folksinger Arlo Guthrie's film 'Alice's Restaurant,' based on his hit song of the same name, premieres in both Los Angeles and New York.
1969: John Lennon writes, rehearses, and records a song about his recent heroin withdrawal entitled 'Cold Turkey,' where he also puts into practice his recent introduction to "primal scream" therapy. Fans and critics are shocked and appalled by the emotionally raw recording, a prelude to his eventual Plastic Ono Band album.
1970: Led Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly, Ides Of March and others performed at the Man-Pop Festival at Winnipeg Stadium in Winnepeg, Canada.
1974: Grand Funk Railroad's 'Shinin' On' LP stalls at #11 as 'Santana's Greatest Hits' enters the album chart.
1974: Traffic's last concert is at the 14th annual National Jazz, Blues, Folk & Rock Festival (near Reading, England).
1975: Queen started recording 'Bohemian Rhapsody' at Rockfield studios in Monmouth, Wales, (the song was recorded over three weeks). Freddie Mercury had mentally prepared the song beforehand and directed the band throughout the sessions. May, Mercury, and Taylor sang their vocal parts continually for ten to twelve hours a day, resulting in 180 separate overdubs.
1975: Aerosmith, Kingfish f/Bob Weir & Dave Torbet, Poco, Slade, Nils Lofgren and Frank Marino & Mahogany Rush played the Trenton Fairgrounds in Trenton, NJ.
1976: Fleetwood Mac with special guests Firefall played the Swing Auditorium in San Bernadino, CA.
1979: 'Rock ‘n’ Roll High School,' the movie featuring The Ramones premiered in theaters across North America.
1978: Rolling Stone put comeback kid Bruce Springsteen on its cover to herald the release of the long-awaited 'Darkness on the Edge of Town.' It was his first album since 1975’s massive breakthrough 'Born to Run.'
1979: The Cars attracted an audience of 500-thousand people to their free gig in New York’s Central Park.
1980: Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Sweet, Budgie, Girl and Tygers of Pan Tang appear on the final day of the Reading Rock Festival in England.
1981: The Rolling Stones 'Tattoo You' album is released. It topped the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart for nine weeks, and reached #2 on the UK Albums chart. It features three Billboard Hot 100 charted singles - 'Start Me Up' (#2), 'Waiting on a Friend' (#8), and 'Hang Fire' (#20). In 2003, the album was ranked #211 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
1981: Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20-years-to-life in prison for the murder of John Lennon. Chapman shot Lennon five times at close range on December 8th, 1980 in front of The Dakota apartment building in New York City. Over the next few months, Chapman would claim many times to have been beaten by fellow inmates, some of whom allegedly tried to kill him. To date, he has been denied parole eight times. Incredibly, his wife has stood by him for 36 years and visits him in jail. “I can’t believe she stuck with me all these years but she has,” he said. “We’re closer to the Lord now than we were on the street, so I am going to credit him with keeping our marriage together and our sanity, but she is still with me.”
1982: R.E.M.'s 'Chronic Town' EP is released.
1983: The 5th wife of Jerry Lee Lewis, Shawn Michelle Stevens was found dead at their Mississippi home of a methadone overdose. They had been married less than three months.
1985: Heart makes a comeback with the single 'What About Love.' It peaks at #10 on the Hot 100.
1985: Huey Lewis and the News started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'The Power Of Love,' from the movie 'Back To The Future.'
1987: John Cougar Mellencamp﻿'s 9th album, 'The Lonesome Jubilee' is released. It reached #6 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart. Four singles reached the Billboard Hot 100 chart - 'Paper in Fire' (#9), 'Cherry Bomb' (#8), 'Check It Out' (#14), and "Rooty Toot Toot' (#61).
1989: George Harrison's 'Cheer Down' b/w 'That's What It Takes' 45 single is released. The song was first produced in 1989 for the film and accompanying soundtrack to 'Lethal Weapon 2' and released as a single to promote the film. It was later included in Harrison's Dark Horse greatest hits album 'Best of Dark Horse 1976–1989' as the final track.
1989: At the Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City, California, The Who performed their rock opera 'Tommy' with an all-star cast that included Elton John (as the Pinball Wizard), Patti Labelle (as the Acid Queen), Steve Winwood (as the Hawker), Phil Collins (as Uncle Ernie), and Billy Idol (as Cousin Kevin).
1990: Led by Donald Fagen of Steely Dan and his girlfriend Libby Titus, the first "New York Rock & Soul Revue" is held in Southampton, New York. The second Revue results in the popular live album 'The New York Rock and Soul Revue: Live at the Beacon,' featuring Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs and Phoebe Snow
1990: Judas Priest successfully defended themselves against a lawsuit, after two fans attempted suicide while listening to the 'Stained Class' album. Both fans eventually died, one immediately from a shotgun blast, and the other on a second attempt three years later by a methadone overdose. The prosecution claimed that there were subliminal messages in the group’s music that caused the two seventeen year olds to carry out the suicide pact in 1985. Rob Halford says, “We had to sit in this courtroom in Reno for six weeks. It was like Disneyworld. We had no idea what a subliminal message was – it was just a combination of some weird guitar sounds, and the way I exhaled between lyrics. I had to sing ‘Better by You, Better Than Me’ in court, a cappella. I think that was when the judge thought, ‘What am I doing here? No band goes out of its way to kill its fans.’”
1991: Lenny Kravitz was at #2 in the U.S. singles chart with 'It Ain't Over Till It's Over,' with Bryan Adams '(Everything I Do), I Do It for You' at #1.
1991: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers single 'Learning To Fly' just slips into the Top 30 peaking at #28.
1991: Guns N' Roses play Maimarktgelände in Mannheim, Germany. Nine Inch Nails and Skid Row are the openers.
1992: Thunder release their album 'Laughing on Judgement Day.' It peaks at #2 on the UK's Official Chart.
1993: Def Leppard release their single, 'Two Steps Behind.'
1994: Dave Abruzzese 'officially' leaves Pearl Jam. Two days earlier, Pearl Jam's manager announced Abruzzese had left but the drummer claims he was fired. He was later replaced by Jack Irons, who had played with Red Hot Chili Peppers.
1995: Microsoft pays the Rolling Stones $12 million to use 'Start Me Up' in the Windows '95 ad campaigns.
1996: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers entered the Billboard 200 Album Chart at #15 with their 9th studio album, Songs and Music from 'She’s the One' which went on to go Gold in the U.S
1996: Oasis singer Liam Gallagher failed to turn up for the recording of the bands MTV unplugged session at London's Royal Festival Hall in front of 400 fans. He later sat in the audience and watched the show with his brother Noel taking over on vocals.
1998: 53-year-old Ingrid Pedersen announces that she is the long-lost illegitimate half-sister of John Lennon, explaining that she kept her secret for so many years as a way of protecting her now-deceased adoptive parents.
2003: Dick Peterson from The Kingsmen joins 753 other guitarists to perform 'Louie Louie' for a charity fundraiser in Tacoma, Washington.
2004: GQ magazine names the 25 most stylish musicians of all time. The list includes Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Stevie Wonder, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Bob Dylan.
2004: Unsigned bands get a chance to strut their stuff at the Gibson A Go Go: L.A. Rock Show. Bands submit a three song demo to be considered. Shinedown headlines the show.
2004: Donovan released his first new album in eight years, 'Beat Cafe.' The first 1000 CDs were autographed and hand numbered.
2005: Paul Stanley has his original art work exhibited in Wailea, Hawaii. The paintings are subsequently shown at other U.S. galleries.
2006: 60 year old Linda Ronstadt canceled tour dates for the rest of the year to recover from an undisclosed surgery.
2006: Lostprophets earn the Best Album statue for 'Liberation Transmission' and the Best British Band honor at the Kerrang! Awards ceremony in London. The Best International Band award goes to My Chemical Romance. AC/DC guitarist Angus Young, who appeared on the cover of Kerrang! magazine's first issue in '81, receives the Legend award.
2007: During a routine medical exam in Gainesville, FL, Bo Diddley complains of dizziness and nausea and is admitted to a local hospital, where he is diagnosed as having had a heart attack. The rock legend had suffered a stroke only a few months earlier.
2007: Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders opens Mark Lindsay's Rock And Roll Cafe in his native Portland, Oregon. The restaurant closes the next year.
2007: Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry joins Country's Toby Keith for the latter's tribute to Elvis Presley show in Darien Lakes, NY. Footage is used the following month in an ABC special titled 'Elvis: Viva Las Vegas' that has a variety of artists playing tunes made famous by Presley.
2007: The three-day Reading and Leeds Festivals begin in England with the Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails, Lostprophets, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, Interpol, Arcade Fire, Angels & Airwaves and +44. N.I.N's Trent Rexnor is quoted taking a shot at the Smashing Pumpkins reunion. "I think trying to resurrect the name Smashing Pumpkins...it's all a bit corporate for me," says Reznor.
2008: Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler participates in the Rock Ride Boston motorcycle event. The 15-mile charity jaunt is a FORGE fundraiser. FORGE, with Opportunity International (who also receives proceeds from the ride), provide aid to refugees and support communities in war-torn African nations.
2008: Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis perform the Led Zeppelin classic 'Whole Lotta Love' during the closing ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
2009: A poll commissioned by the UK network, Living TV for their series 'Four Weddings' finds that the Rolling Stones command the highest fee to play private events; in the $8-9 million range. Elton John is in the more reasonable neighborhood of $3.5 million. Paul McCartney is downright affordable at $1.8 million.
2010: JP, Chrissie And The Fairground Boys issue their debut album, 'Fidelity.' The band is fronted by the Welsh-born J.P. Jones and Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders.
2010: 'Dear New Orleans,' a charity album to mark the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, is released digitally. My Morning Jacket, Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello, Steve Earle and R.E.M.'s Mike Mills are heard on the compilation.
2010: U2's Bono meets with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow. Over tea they discuss world issues, including HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa. But there are also great differences. "I come here to cross the great divide between me, a Led Zeppelin fan, and you, the Deep Purple fan," Bono tells Medvedev. Fortunately, the pair avoids a 'communication breakdown'. U2 is in Moscow for their first-ever Russian concert.
2010: A celebration hosted by the New York chapter of the Audio Engineering Society commemorates the 40th anniversary of Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Recording Studios.
2010: Bob Dylan revealed his intentions to fight internet re-sellers by only allowing fans to purchase just one ticket at the door for each concert. The policy was established to prevent scalpers (touters) from purchasing large batches of tickets and selling them for an inflated price online.
2011: The documentary 'God Bless Ozzy Osbourne' hits theaters. Directed by Ozzy's son, Jack Osbourne, the film explores Ozzy's music, addictions, marriages and rehab. There are live performance clips and rare behind the scenes footage.
2013: A tie that once belonged to John Lennon sold for 3,627 Pounds (about $5,600) at an auction in Liverpool. Lennon had given the black knitted tie to Joyce McWilliam, a regular Cavern Club patron, in 1962.
2014: The 10th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute is held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Rob Zombie hosts and leads a tribute band consisting of Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver/Loaded bassist Duff McKagan and Sex Pistols Steve Jones. Proceeds from the event benefit the Johnny Ramone Foundation.

August 25
1961: After playing a lunchtime gig at The Cavern Liverpool, The Beatles played aboard the Merseyside riverboat M.V.Royal Iris supporting Acker Bilk and his Paramount Jazz Band.
1962: After Cameo Records producers passed on the opportunity to have Dee Dee Sharp record a Gerry Goffin / Carole King song called 'The Loco-Motion,' Don Kirshner at Dimension Records decided to take a chance on it. He liked the demo record's singer, Eva Boyd, who was Goffin and King's babysitter, and had her re-record it. The result was a U.S. #1 hit.
1962: The Four Seasons' 'Sherry' enters the Hot 100 at #91. The song will ascend the charts quickly and top both Billboard and the Cash Box Best Sellers list within a month.
1963: Paul McCartney is fined and given a one year suspended license for speeding.
1964: The Beatles' 'A Hard Day's Night' is certified gold.
1965: Two Beatles fans hired a helicopter to fly over the Beverly Hills, CA home they were renting. They ended up jumping from the helicopter into the pool on the property.
1966: During their last U.S. tour, The Beatles played two shows at the Coliseum in Seattle, Washington. The first show at 3pm was attended by only 8,000 fans (the arena seated 15,000), but the evening show was a sell-out.
1967: The Beatles studied transcendental meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at a Spiritual Regeneration League conference in Bangor, Wales.
1967: Brian Wilson returned to performing live with The Beach Boys in Honolulu after a two year hiatus.
1967: Jimmy Page's band The Yardbirds play the Village Theatre (later the Fillmore East) in New York City, where their opening act, Jake Holmes, plays his song 'Dazed And Confused.' Later with Led Zeppelin, Page releases a very similar song with the same title.
1967: During a North American tour Herman’s Hermits supported by The Who performed at Kiel Opera House in St. Louis, MO .
1968: Albert King performs at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.
1969: Grand Funk Railroad's 1st studio album, 'On Time' is released. It reached #27 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and features two singles that reached the Billboard Hot 100, 'Heartbreaker' (#72), and 'Time Machine' (#48).
1970: A party was held to celebrate the official opening of Electric Ladyland studios in New York City, New York. Artists who recorded at the studio included Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, AC/DC, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Frank Zappa and Guns N' Roses.
1970: Elton John played his first ever American concert at Los Angeles’ Troubadour. In the audience that night were Don Henley, Quincy Jones, Ray Luzier and Leon Russell.
1970: At Plymouth Guildhall in England, Emerson, Lake & Palmer perform for the first time. They would play to a far larger audience four days later at the the Isle Of Wight Festival.
1971: During a North American tour, Led Zeppelin played at Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, Texas.
1972: Deep Purple perform at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
1972: Alice Cooper played Dillon Stadium in Hartford, Connecticut .
1972: The Edgar Winter Group's 'Free Ride" b/w 'Catching Up' 45 single is released in the UK.
1972: The Kinks 10th album, 'Everybody's in Show-Biz' is released. It reached #70 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. A double album, the first disc features studio recordings, while the second disc documents a two-night stand at Carnegie Hall, New York City, New York, March 2-3 1972.
1973: The Faces performed what they said would be their last British concert due to the Musicians Union refusing to give bassist Tetsu Yamauchi a work permit.
1973: The Allman Brothers Band released their 'Ramblin’ Man' single. It became their biggest hit, and went all the way to #2.
1973: Butch Trucks, drummer for The Allman Brothers Band, crashes his car while driving in Macon, Georgia, breaking his leg in the process. This happens within sight of the spot where Duane Allman had died in a crash two years earlier.
1973: Former Left Banke keyboard player Michael Brown led his new group, Stories, back to the top of both the Cashbox best sellers chart and the Billboard Hot 100 with a song called 'Brother Louie.' The gritty lead vocal for the song was supplied by Ian Lloyd, who would later be heard on tracks by Billy Joel, Foreigner and Peter Frampton.
1975: Elton John played the Troubadour in Los Angeles, this time for three benefit concerts. His residency raised $150,000 for the Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA.
1975: Bruce Springsteen's 'Born to Run' b/w 'Meeting Across the River' 45 single is released. The song ranked #21 on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and is included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".
1975: Bruce Springsteen releases his 3rd album and big breakthrough, 'Born to Run.' The album goes on to sell six million copies in the U.S. It reached #3 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and features the titles tracks, which reached #23 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2003, it was ranked #18 on Rolling Stone's "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list, and is listed in the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry of historic recordings.
1976: Boston releases their debut album. It reached #3 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's & Tape chart, and featured three Billboard Hot 100 hits: 'More than a Feeling' (#5), 'Long Time' (#22), and 'Peace of Mind' (#38). The album goes on to sell over 25 million copies worldwide.
1978: Jackson Browne's 'Running On Empty' album goes platinum.
1979: During Cheap Trick’s appearance at the Reading Festival in the U.K., they were joined onstage by Dave Edmunds & Bad Company guitarist Mick Ralphs for a rendition of The Beatles’ 'Day Tripper.'
1979: The Knack's 'My Sharona' hits #1 on the U.S. chart where it would remain for six weeks. Billboard magazine would name the record as the #1 single of 1979. In the UK, it reached number six. The group's lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Doug Fieger, would later say that he put words to guitarist Berton Averre's melody in about fifteen minutes, writing about his 17-year-old girlfriend, Sharona Alperin.
1980: Cheap Trick bassist Tom Peterson quits the band. He eventually returned in 1987.
1981: R.E.M. appeared at The Scorpio in Charlotte, North Carolina. This show was billed as “Charlotte’s First Gay New Wave Disco and Costume Party”, with the $3 tickets benefiting various gay-lesbian charities.
1982: Robert Plant's debut solo effort, 'Pictures At Eleven' goes gold.
1982: Fleetwood Mac's 'Mirage' album goes platinum.
1982: Alice Cooper released his 14th studio album, 'Zipper Catches Skin.'
1983: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards sign a contract with Columbia Records. The deal provides the Rolling Stones $28 million for four albums.
1984: 'A Special from the Spectrum' by DIO was recorded at The Spectrum in Philadelphia.
1984: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes Billy Idol’s 'Flesh For Fantasy' at #64 & 'Eyes Without A Face' #55, Twisted Sister’s 'We’re Not Gonna Take It' #31, Steve Perry’s 'She’s Mine' #30, Van Halen’s 'Panama' #23, Ratt’s 'Round And Round' #12, and John Waite’s 'Missing You' at #5. ‬
1986: Paul Simon's 7th studio album, 'Graceland' is released. It reached #3 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart. The album won the 1986 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, while the title song won the 1987 Grammy for Record of the Year. In 2007, the album was added to the United States National Recording Registry, along with another 24 significant recordings that year. It is #81 on the list of Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and the song 'Graceland' was voted #485 in the list of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
1987: Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil suffers a mustard-related injury when he angrily breaks a jar of mustard before a show in Rochester, New York. The show is cancelled, and Neil is airlifted to Baltimore, where surgeons work to repair nerve and tendon damage in his hand.
1988: Metallica release their 4th album, 'And Justice For All.' It jumped straight into the Top 10 in the U.S It reached #6 on the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance in 1989. The multi-platinum set is the group's first full studio album with bassist Jason Newsted, following the death of Cliff Burton in '86.
1989: John Mellencamp becomes a grandfather at age 38 when his daughter Michelle gives birth to daughter, Elexis Suzanne Peach.
1990: Six months after being seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, Billy Idol kicked off his tour in support of Charmed Life in Montreal. Idol had to use a walking stick while on this tour, which featured Faith No More as the support act.
1992: Eric Clapton's 'Unplugged' album is released. It topped the Billboard 200 Albums chart in March 1993 for three weeks. Clapton earned six Grammy Awards for the album including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Rock Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song. 'Tears in Heaven' earned three of the six awards.
1992: Fear Factory released their debut album 'Soul Of A New Machine.' Although this record was Fear Factory's first studio album, it was actually their second album to be recorded, after 'Concrete.'
1992: Warrant released their 3rd studio album, 'Dog Eat Dog.'Hardcore punk band Dog Eat Dog named their debut album 'Warrant' in a joking 'retaliation' for the title of this album. The album peaked at #25 on the Billboard chart.
1994: Robert Plant and Jimmy Page reunite in at London's television centre to record 'Unledded,' their MTV Unplugged set. The success of the show led to two more albums and several tours by the duo.
1994: A judge dissolved the marriage of Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel.
1994: Jimmy Buffett’s plane crashed into a lake following a take-off from Nantucket. Buffett escaped the plane and swam to safety.
1997: Gamma Ray released their 5th studio album, 'Somewhere Out in Space.' 'Men, Martians and Machines' begins with the "five tones" from the film 'Close Encounters Of The Third Kind' played on strings.‬
1997: Jag Panzer released the album 'The Fourth Judgement.'
1997: Tony Nicole of Tony Records filed a lawsuit against Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of KISS for alleged intentional interference with KISS drummer Peter Criss' contract with the label. The suit maintained that Simmons and Stanley convinced Criss to break his contract with the label.
1998: Godsmack released self-titled their debut album.
1998: Rob Zombie released his debut solo album 'Hellbilly Deluxe.' Tommy Lee played drums on 'Meet the Creeper' and 'The Ballad of Resurrection of Joe and Rosa Whore.'
1999: Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx was charged with a breach of the peace after he told a Las Vegas audience they should turn some cars over.
1999: Oasis announce that bassist Paul 'Guigsy' McGuigan has left the group.
2000: Federal agents raid two Gibson guitar plants reportedly because the imported wood they are using to make the guitars is in violation of Indian labor law. “We don’t what is motivating it,” Gibson CEO Henry Juszkiewicz says. “It is one, clear to me that there is some terrific motivation because we are not the only company that uses this type of wood. Virtually every other guitar company uses this wood and this wood is used prominently by furniture and architectural industries, and to my knowledge none of them have been shut down or treated in this fashion.”
2000: Jack Nitzsche dies of a heart attack. He was 63. Nitzsche was an Academy Award-winning film score composer and record producer who produced The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Buffalo Springfield and Graham Parker. His musical scores include 'The Exorcist,' 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,' and 'Up Where We Belong' from 'An Officer and a Gentleman.' Nitzsche also was the keyboard player on many mid-1960’s albums by The Rolling Stones.
2001: During Metallibash in San Francisco, Metallica cover band Creeping Death is joined onstage (for a half-dozen songs) by Metallica's Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett.
2004: Alice Cooper criticizes the near countless number of Rock musicians supporting Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Cooper, a Republican, tells Canadian Press that fans shouldn't get their political views from musicians. "Why are we Rock stars? Because we're morons. We sleep all day, we play music at night."
2005: Green Day wins the Best Band on the Planet and the Best Live Band awards at the 12th annual Kerrang! Awards, held in London. Foo Fighters and Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor are also honored by the British Metal magazine. During the ceremony Marilyn Manson, who gets an Icon Award, announces his impending retirement from music to focus on acting and directing.
2005: Slash and Duff McKagan file a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles against Axl Rose, accusing the Guns N’ Roses singer of changing the publisher of the group’s copyrighted songs without their consent and pocketing the royalties. “Rose’s actions were malicious, fraudulent and oppressive, and undertaken in conscious disregard of [Slash and Duff’s] property rights,” the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit additionally contends that an ASCAP check for the first quarter of 2005 in the amount of $92,000 went to Rose and “his accomplices” instead of Rose, Slash and Duff.
2005: Red Hot Chili Peppers perform at Snoop Dogg's benefit for Snoop Youth Football League in Los Angeles. The Rapper's sports program encourages participants to excel academically.
2005: The war of words continues between Sharon Osbourne and Iron Maiden following the group's final Ozzfest appearance five days earlier. In the latest missive, Sharon Osbourne admits that she cut Iron Maiden's sound during the band's set, maintaining it was in retaliation for on stage remarks singer Bruce Dickinson made criticizing her husband, Ozzy. The ever charming Dickinson says he doesn't hold a grudge against Ozzy or Black Sabbath over the incident.
2005: Singer Ryan McCombs makes his debut with Drowning Pool at the Dallas stop of Ozzfest. He replaces Jason Jones who left the band earlier in the summer.
2006: Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton announced he was undergoing treatment for throat cancer which would cause him to sit out the first half of the group’s upcoming tour with Motley Crue. David Hull, a longtime friend of the band and bassist for The Joe Perry Project filled in.
2006: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards lights a cigarette during a Bigger Bang European tour show in Hampden Park, Glasgow, and is charged with violating the city's anti-smoking ordinance. But Richards escapes a fine because city officials determine "the stage for the concert was not of the dimensions to be covered by the smoking ban legislation in Scotland." Gotta figure nicotine is probably one of the least harmful drugs Richards has ever ingested.
2006: Roger Waters French Revolution opera, 'Ca Ira,' premieres in front of 12,000 people in Poznan, Poland. The ex-Pink Floyd singer-bassist appears onstage to dedicate the production, which features 380 performers, to "those who fought for human rights."
2006: Aerosmith bassist Tom Hamilton was undergoing treatment for throat cancer that caused him to sit out the first half of the band's 'Route of All Evil Tour,' the first time he would miss any shows in the band's history. Longtime band friend David Hull filled in for Hamilton until his return.
2007: Arthur Brown literally catches on fire while singing his 1968 hit 'Fire' on stage in Lewes, England. He was wearing a custom tinfoil hat where he would set a small fire burning in the center. While trying to extinguish the flames, another member of the band also caught fire.
2007: A concert paying tribute to late Alice In Chains singer Layne Staley is held in Seattle, the band's hometown. Daughtry headlines the event, while the surviving A.I.C. members appear in a memorial video. Staley would have turned 40 the previous week.
2008: Metallica begins previewing songs from 'Death Magnetic' online. The album is released a couple weeks later. The tracks are available for download via iTunes.
2008: Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joey Kramer give a special performance during the finale of the 'Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Rocks the Hard Rock' competition in Boston. The winner gets a Tyler designed a custom-made Red Wing motorcycle. The event is part of the Boston for Africa benefit.
2009: Jet issue their 3rd album, 'Shaka Rock.' "I think 'Shaka Rock' is like when TV went color," says drummer Chris Cester. "It's our musical equivalent." To promote the album, Jet appears on the David Letterman Show.
2009: 'Collective Soul (Rabbit)' is released. The set was produced by the band and recorded at singer Ed Roland's home studio.
2009: Vertical Horizon release their 6th studio album, 'Burning The Days.' Richard Marx and Rush's Neil Peart are heard on the album.
2009: Black Label Society frontman Zakk Wylde is hospitalized in Eugene, OR, suffering from blood clots in both lungs and one leg. The illness forces Black Label Society to cancel the remaining dates of their Pedal To The Metal tour. "[I] can't sing because pushing can cause an embolism," writes Wylde on his Twitter page. Tour partners Mudvayne and Static-X press on.
2009: 'Halloween II' soundtrack is released. The Moody Blues, Rod Stewart and Foghat are on the soundtrack. The film, in theaters three days later, was written and directed by Rob Zombie.
2009: Cheap Trick releases 'Sgt. Pepper Live,' a concert CD and DVD titled which showcases the group's 2007 New York performance of The Beatles 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album. Proceeds go toward the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
2009: The soundtrack to 'Taking Woodstock,' the Ang Lee-directed comedy inspired by the story behind the '69 festival, drops. There are songs by Woodstock performers Crosby, Stills & Nash, the Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane and The Band.
2009: Carlos Santana bobbleheads are given away to fans as part of the San Francisco Giants Latino Heritage Night promotion. Proceeds benefit Santana's Milagro Foundation.
2010: Previously unseen photographs of The Beatles went on display in Liverpool at the Victoria Gallery and Museum. The images were taken by Astrid Kirchherr the former girlfriend of original bass player Stuart Sutcliffe. Her pictures were of the band's early years after meeting them in Hamburg in 1960. The exhibition also included images of the Beatles on vacation in Tenerife and of the making of their film 'A Hard Day's Night' in 1964 in Liverpool.
2010: U2 plays their first concert in Russia at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium. But before the show police arrest Amnesty International activists who are handing out leaflets, and force volunteers for other non-profits, including Greenpeace Russia and U2's own ONE Campaign Against AIDS, to leave the area. All those arrested are later released. The audience is the "the biggest crowd at a Russian rock concert since Pink Floyd played Moscow's Olympic Stadium in '89."
2011: Publisher Little, Brown and Company announces that Keith Richard's memoir, 'Life,' the critically acclaimed autobiography by the Rolling Stones guitarist, has sold over 1 million copies in less than a year since publication.
2011: Laurie McAllister (aka Laurie Hoyt), one-time bassist for the Runaways and the Orchids, passes away from asthma in Eugene, OR. She joined the Runaways in '78 and performed on the band's final tour.
2012: Brian May, guitarist for Queen and animal rights activist, writes an editorial in the Daily Mail, protesting the mass slaughter of badgers by the British government, due to an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis in the country. May writes that the campaign is "demonstrably unjustifiable by science."
2013: Slash headlines Rock N 2 Remember, a benefit concert in Prescott, AZ. The event raises funds for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, Prescott Fire Fighter Charities, 100 Club of Arizona, and displaced residents.
2013: To close out the evening, 30 Seconds To Mars take home the Best Rock Video statuette for 'Up In The Air' at the MTV Video Music Awards.
2014: Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love' is voted the greatest guitar riff of all time by listeners of BBC Radio 2. The '69 track tops a list that includes 'Sweet Child O' Mine' (Guns N' Roses), 'Back In Black"'(AC/DC) and 'Smoke On The Water' (Deep Purple).
2015: Glenn Danzig (Misfits, Danzig) films an episode of IFC's 'Portlandia' with show principals Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney/Wild Flag). "I had a blast," exclaims Danzig.
2015: Iron Maiden unveiled a new Boeing 747-400 Jumbo Jet that will be taking them on tour around the world. Vocalist Bruce Dickinson was in training to fly the plane.
2016: Bruce Springsteen set a personal record for his longest U.S. show when he played for four hours, besting the mark he had set two nights earlier when The E Street Band performed for three hours and fifty-two minutes.
2017: Metallica and Mastodon are among the artists taking part in the Ten Bands One Cause project by reissuing their albums on limited edition pink vinyl to benefit Gilda’s Club NYC, an organization that provides community support for both those diagnosed with cancer and their caretakers.
2017: Hinder file a trademark infringement lawsuit against the group's former lead singer Austin John Winkler, claiming he unlawfully used the band's trademark to promote his solo career after leaving Hinder in ‘13.

August 26
1964: The Kinks 'You Really Got Me' b/w 'It's All Right' 45 single is released. It reached #1 on the UK singles chart in September, remaining for two weeks. It was the group's breakthrough hit and established them as one of the top British Invasion acts in the United States, reaching #7 there later in the year.
1965: The Byrds performed at the Hollywood Palladium.
1967: 'Purple Haze' from Jimi Hendrix entered the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. Although it is now considered a Rock 'n' Roll classic, the single only reached #65.
1967: The Beatles follow the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to University College in Bangor, North Wales, along with Mick Jagger and his girlfriend Marianne Faithfull. After his lecture the group holds a press conference to announce that they've become his disciples in the "Spiritual Regeneration Movement" and officially renounced the use of all drugs.
1967: Small Faces, Move, The Gass, Tomorrow, Denny Laine, Jeff Beck, Eric Burdon and Marmalade all appeared on the first day of the 3-day non-stop happening ‘Festival of the Flower Children’ at Woburn Abbey, England.
1968: The Beatles best selling single, 'Hey Jude,' is released in the U.S. 'Revolution' is on the B-side. The single is the debut release on The Beatles label, Apple Records. In 2004 and later in 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked the song at #8 on "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time," making it the highest ranked Beatles song on the list.
1969: Although Elvis Presley has written a soprano part for backup singer Cissy Houston during 'Are You Lonesome Tonight,' her actual live performance of it tonight at the International Hotel in Vegas strikes Elvis as amazingly funny for some reason, leading to a collector's classic: a performance where the King cannot stop laughing. "That's it, man, fourteen years right down the drain," he jokes as the song ends.
1969: Elvis Presley's'"Suspicious Minds' b/w 'You'll Think Of Me' 45 single is released. It was his 17th and last #1 in the United States. Rolling Stone later ranked it #91 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
1969: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young play the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
1970: Jimi Hendrix performs his last concert in England at on the Isle Of Wight. Others on the three day festival that kicked off on this day included Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Donovan, Jethro Tull, Miles Davis, Emerson, Lake And Palmer, The Doors, The Who, Spirit, The Moody Blues, Chicago, Procol Harum, Sly and the Family Stone and Free. Guinness Book of Records estimates that possibly 700,000 people attend the festival.
1970: After an all-night jam, The Allman Brothers' Duane Allman asks Eric Clapton if he can attend the recording sessions for his new group, Derek and the Dominoes. Clapton agrees, only on the condition that Allman also play on the sessions.
1970: Jimi Hendrix holds a party to celebrate the official opening of Electric Ladyland studios in New York City. Hendrix pours more than $1 million into Electric Lady and in May 1970 begins to use the facility to practice. Unfortunately, he dies less than a month after it officially opens.
1970: The Allman Brothers Band perform at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami, Florida.
1971: The Grateful Dead appear at Gaelic Park in the Bronx, New York.
1972: Bob Seger's 'Smokin' O.P.'s' album is released. It reached #180 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and features the single, a remake of Tim Hardin's 'If I Were a Carpenter,' which reached #76 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1972: The New York quartet called Looking Glass hits #1 with 'Brandy (You're a Fine Girl).' Despite the success of the song, the band could muster only one more chart entry, 'Jimmy Loves Mary-Anne,' a #33 hit the following year.
1972: The Hollies release 'Distant Light' which contains the hit single 'Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress).'
1973: Genesis headlines the closing day of the Reading Jazz, Blues, and Rock Festival. Tickets cost £2.20.
1973: 10cc made their live debut at the Palace Lido Isle of Man at the start of an UK tour. Comprising of Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, who had written and recorded together for some three years before assuming the 10cc name.
1974: Rush plays at The Agora in Cleveland, Ohio. It was their first live recording (for an ABC Radio broadcast) and it came one month after Neil Peart joined the group.
1976: AC/DC appear at the Marquee Club in London.
1976: Steven Tyler of Aerosmith appears on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine. Annie Leibovitz took the photo, which shows the frontman haggard and bleary after just 2 hours sleep. Leibovitz got the shot by showing up at his hotel at 6am.
1977: Uriah Heep, Thin Lizzy, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Eddie and the Hot Rods, Golden Earing, Aerosmith, Doobie Brothers, Hawkwind, Graham Parker & the Rumour, Little River Band, Racing Cars, John Miles, The Enid, No Dice and Frankie Miller's Full House all appeared at the 17th three day Reading Festival in England.
1977: The Pretenders play their first gig.
1977: KISS play the first of three nights at the Los Angeles Forum with Cheap Trick as openers. The majority of their 'Alive II' album at these shows.
1978: The World Series of Rock takes place at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium with Fleetwood Mac headlining. Other acts include Bob Welch, The Cars, Todd Rundgren and Utopia and Eddie Money.
1978: A crowd of 80,000 people attended the first Canada Jam Festival held at Mosport Park, just north of Bowmanville Ontario. The show featured sets by The Doobie Brothers, Kansas, Dave Mason, Triumph, The Atlanta Rhythm Section. Prism and The Commodores.
1978: Nearly 16 years after he topped the U.S. record charts with 'Sherry,' Frankie Valli had the #1 song again with the title track from the musical 'Grease.' It went on to sell over 2 million in the States and was also a #3 hit in the UK.
1979: At the Redding Festival, Phil Collins joins Peter Gabriel for a rendition of Genesis' 'The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway.'
1980: Tom Peterson leaves Cheap Trick. He returns eight years later.
1983: The film 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,' starring David Bowie, opens in New York City.
1983: The three day Reading Rock Festival kicks off in the UK. Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, Steel Pulse, Suzi Quatro, Big Country, Mama's Boys, Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Heavy Petin', Lee Aaron, Anvil, Marillion, Magnum, Hanoi Rocks, Ten Years After, Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul and more performed.
1987: Sonny Bono, who once said that he never voted until he was 53, announced that he was running for mayor of Palm Springs, California. He won the election in 1988 and went on to win a seat in Congress in 1996.
1987: The Cult with special guests Guns N' Roses at the Edmonton Convention Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
1988: The first day at this years three day Reading Festival featuring Iggy Pop, Starship, Squeeze, Ramones, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Hothouse Flowers, Deacon Blue, Quireboys and Broken English.
1988: Vinnie Vincent Invasion played their final gig together at the Celebrity Theatre in Anaheim, CA.
1989: Don Henley's 'The End Of The Innocence' rises to #8 on the pop charts.
1989: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes Bad English’s 'Forget Me Not' #45, Simply Red’s 'If You Don’t Know Me By Now' #31, Bon Jovi’s 'Lay Your Hand On Me' #29, Skid Row’s '18 And Life' #16, Warrant’s 'Heaven' #15, and Great White’s 'Once Bitten Twice Shy' at #7.
1989: Ringo Starr wins a court order to prevent a record producer from releasing material Starr considered to be of inferior quality due to the impaired state Starr was in when it was recorded.
1989: Billboard’s Hot 100 includes Bad English’s 'Forget Me Not' at #45, Simply Red’s 'If You Don’t Know Me By Now' #31, Bon Jovi’s 'Lay Your Hand On Me' #29, Skid Row’s '18 And Life' #16, Warrant’s 'Heaven' #15, and Great White’s 'Once Bitten Twice Shy' at #7.
1989: The Who performed at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
1990: Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble perform their last show at Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI. During their encore, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy and Jimmy Vaughan join them onstage. A few hours later, Stevie Ray Vaughan dies in a helicopter crash.
1991: Kiss drummer Peter Criss files a libel lawsuit in Los Angeles against The Star for publishing a story which claimed he was a homeless, chronically alcoholic panhandler living in Santa Monica. In 1993, terms of the out-of-court settlement were not disclosed, but Criss’ attorney claimed: “My client is ecstatic with the amount of the settlement. We were prepared to prove the Star knew the stories about Peter Criss were false when they ran them.”
1992: Eric Clapton's 'Unplugged' album is released. It topped the Billboard 200 Albums chart in March 1993 for three weeks. Clapton earned six Grammy Awards for the album including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, Best Rock Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song. 'Tears in Heaven' earned three of the six awards.
1992: Tax inspectors in Germany investigate the Scorpions for tax-evasion.
1993: A recording of the Beatles playing 'Kansas City' and 'Some Other Gu'" at the Cavern Club in Liverpool in 1962 fetches a record of approximately $32,000 at Christie's auction house in London.
1993: The Voices For Choices benefit concert in Santa Monica, CA, has Heart, Melissa Etheridge and Shawn Colvin.
1994: Scottish singer Frankie Miller suffered a massive brain haemorrhage in New York, while writing material for a new band he and Joe Walsh from The Eagles had formed. Miller spent five months in a coma. He then entered rehabilitation, re-learning how to walk and talk.
1995: Ozzy Osbourne kicked off his Retirement Sucks tour in Monterey, Mexico which was Osbourne’s first tour of Latin and South America and Osbourne’s first tour in three years.
1995: ‎Metallica‬‪, Slayer‬, Slash‬'s Snakepit, Skid Row, Therapy?, White Zombie, Machine Head, Warrior Soul and Corrosion Of Conformity performed at Donnington Park in the UK. 1995 was not officially billed as 'Monsters Of Rock' but as 'Escape from the Studio' due to Metallica's decision to headline while recording the 'Load' album.
1996: Following Phil Anselmo's near-fatal heroin overdose in Dallas, local authorities are considering charges against the Pantera frontman for possession and use of illegal substances.
1996: Just minutes before the plane is scheduled to take off to the U.S. for Oasis' tour, vocalist Liam Gallagher bolts. His brother, guitarist Noel, handles singing duties until Liam rejoins the group a few shows into the trek.
1997: Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was admitted to hospital after crashing on his motorbike while driving down Sunset Boulevard.
2000: Douglas Allen Woody former bass player with The Allman Brothers was found dead sitting in a chair at the Marriott Courtyard in Queens, NY. He was 44. In 1994, Woody had left the Allman Brothers to form the band Gov’t Mule with Warren Haynes. An autopsy proved inconclusive as to the cause of his death.
2002: Anvil released the album 'Still Going Strong.'
2002: Herman's Hermits leader and lead singer Peter Noone files a lawsuit against former Hermits drummer Barry Whitwam, attempting to block him from touring with new musicians under the group name. The band was forced to use the name Herman's Hermits starring Barry Whitwam when they tour in North America, but they remain billed as Herman's Hermits worldwide.
2003: Rolling Stone Magazine named Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist in Rock history. Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ry Cooder also made the top 10 list.
2003: Warren Zevon's last studio album, 'The Wind' is released. It reached #12 on the Billboard Top Albums chart, and topped the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart. 'The Wind' was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won two.
2004: Velvet Revolver, the Darkness, Metallica and Lostprophets are winners at the 11th annual Kerrang! Awards in London. The U.K. Hard Rock magazine's yearly event adds Green Day to the Kerrang! Hall of Fame.
2004: Cinematographer David Myers died after suffering a stroke. He worked of various music films including 'Woodstock,' 'Elvis On Tour,' 'The Last Waltz,' 'The Grateful Dead Movie,' 'Mad Dogs & Englishmen' and 'Cracked Actor: A Film About David Bowie.'
2004: Rob Halford fills in for the ailing Ozzy Osbourne as a guest vocalist for Black Sabbath at the Ozzfest show in Camden, NJ. This was Halford’s 3rd time filling in for Ozzy. Halford ends up flubbing the lyrics to 'Paranoid.'
2004: Guitarist Dave Navarro (Jane's Addiction) and drummer Tommy Lee (Motley Crue) participate in the first Vegas Rock Star Poker Tournament and Sweepstakes at the Palms Casino Resort. Sweepstakes winners get a chance to play side-by-side with Rockers and compete for a $10,000 grand prize over three days.
2005: A plaque was unveiled by fellow Quarrymen John Duff Lowe and Colin Hantonat at the site where the band which was to become The Beatles made their first recordings. John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison recorded a version of Buddy Holly's 'That'll Be The Day' and a Lennon-Harrison song, 'In Spite Of All The Danger' as The Quarrymen at the Percy Philips studio in Liverpool in 1958.
2005: Green Day were named best band on the planet at the 12th annual Kerrang! rock awards, they also won best live act. Welsh metal group Funeral For a Friend won best British band, while New Jersey's My Chemical Romance picked up best album and best video. Iron Maiden were inducted into the Kerrang! Hall of Fame and Marilyn Manson took the Icon Award. Best single went to Foo Fighters' 'Best of You' while Trivium were named best international newcomers. Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor was named classic songwriter while Killing Joke were given a lifetime achievement accolade.
2005: Denis D’Amour, guitarist for Voivod, dies of colon cancer at 45. D’Amour, known as “Piggy,” was a co-founder of the Canadian Metal band.
2006: KoRn perform the song 'Politics' twice during their headlining set at the Family Values Tour concert in East Troy, WI, so 10 fans with handheld cameras can capture additional footage (of the general craziness) for a video. The concertgoers with the cameras are given all-access passes.
2006: Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder appear at the 13th annual Hands Across The Valley benefit in Rutherford, CA. The event takes place at director Francis Ford Coppola's Rubicon Estate winery and raises funds for hunger-relief programs in California's Napa Valley.
2006: KISS bassist Gene Simmons films a surprise message for an Israeli soldier seriously wounded during his country's 34-day war with Lebanon. Ron Weinreich, a major KISS fan, was paralyzed from the chest down during fighting with Hezbollah guerrillas. The Israeli-born Simmons calls Weinreich a "hero" in the televised statement.
2007: The Rolling Stones played the final show on their 'A Bigger Bang World Tour' at the O2 Arena in London, England. The longest and biggest tour of their career, it became the highest grossing in rock history ($560 million).
2008: Motorhead release their 19th studio album, 'Motörizer.' The single 'Rock Out' was featured as the official theme song to WWE Unforgiven and in the films 'Hesher' and 'Nitro Circus:The Movie.'
2008: Slipknot release their 4th album, 'All Hope Is Gone.'
2008: Metallica released the single 'My Apocalypse.'
2008: Motorhead released the album 'Motorizer.' The single 'Rock Out' was featured as the official theme song to WWE Unforgiven and in the films 'Hesher' and 'Nitro Circus:The Movie.'
2008: Rush's 1981 album, 'Moving Pictures,' is downloadable for the Rock Band video game. Judas Priest's 'Screaming For Vengeance' and the Cars' self-titled debut are also available.
2008: Pink Floyd is presented Sweden's Polar Music Prize for their contributions to music at a ceremony in Stockholm. Founding bandmembers Roger Waters and Nick Mason accept the $157,000 prize, which is presented by Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf.
2008: Everclear and Daughtry perform acoustic sets at a Democratic National Committee-related benefit for the Grammy Foundation during the Democratic convention in Denver.
2009: Ellie Greenwich, who wrote and co-wrote such classic songs as 'Chapel of Love,' 'River Deep, Mountain High,' 'Leader of the Pack' and 'Be My Baby,' passed away at the age of 68.
2010: John Lennon's toilet, painted with blue flowers in and around the bowl, sold for £9,500 ($15,500) at a Beatles auction in Liverpool. The device was part of Lennon's Tittenhurst Park home when he bought it in 1969 and was removed three years later by a contractor, whose son-in-law decided to sell it.
2010: Britain's EMI Records confirmed that Iron Maiden's latest album 'The Final Frontier' debuted at #1 in 21 countries around the world.
2010: The video for Linkin Park's single 'The Catalyst' premieres on MTV, VH1, MTV2, mtvU, MTV Hits and MTV Tr3s, and is broadcast online at both MTV.com and VH1.com.
2010: It's Slash Day in Hollywood. The former Guns N' Roses guitarist is honored at the Sunset Strip Music Festival.
2010: 'A Day In The Life' is #1 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the Top 10 Beatles songs. 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' is #2 while 'Strawberry Fields Forever' sits at #3.
2012: In an interview with Parade magazine, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney names his favorite bands. The list includes Aerosmith, The Killers and the Beach Boys. A handful of Country performers also make Romney's short list.
2013: Green Day release the DVD documentary of 'Cuatro.' Directed by Tim Wheeler, the film covers the making of the 'Uno,' 'Dos' and 'Tre' albums.
2014: Chuck Berry receives the Polar Music Prize, one of the greatest musical honors. "Chuck Berry, he just leapt out of the radio at me," says Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. "Such a great voice, such a great player and also such a great showman...it was all in one package." The Swedish award aims to "break down musical boundaries by bringing together people from all the different worlds of music."
2014: Dave Grohl, Avril Lavigne, Gwen Stefani, Alanis Morissette and Sammy Hagar are on hand as Chelsea Handler wraps up her E! network talk show Chelsea Lately.
2015: Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi takes part in the Macmillan Cancer Support's Not Alone campaign in Birmingham. He spends time in an Isolation Box, which highlights the plight of lonely cancer patients in the U.K. Iommi announced he had the disease in 2012.
2015: Motorhead is honored by the Los Angeles City Council in celebration of their 40 year anniversary and release of their album 'Bad Magic.' Council member Jose Huizar conducts the ceremony, which takes place in the council chambers at city hall.
2015: The video ad for 'The Vengeful One,' a track from Disturbed's album 'Immortalized,' is pulled by the band's record label following a fatal on-air shooting of a TV reporter and her cameraman. The clip shows a monstrous creature shooting several people at a television station.
2015: Tony Iommi spends time in an Isolation Box (at Birmingham, UK’s Bullring Shopping Centre outside Debenham) as part of the Macmillan Cancer Support's Not Alone campaign. It highlights the plight of lonely cancer patients in the U.K.
2016: 'KISS Rocks Vegas' is released. It captures the band's November 5 to 23, 2014 Las Vegas residency.
2016: Coldplay’s A Head Full Of Dreams Tour tops Billboard Boxscore. They played 30 shows before 1.7 million fans. Iron Maiden’s Book Of Souls Tour is #2.
2016: Jack White participates in a celebrity baseball tournament at the University of North Alabama. White plays first baseman for his Third Man Records team in Florence, AL

August 27
1965: On the last day of a five-day break from their North American tour, The Beatles attended a recording session for The Byrds. Then Elvis Presley meets The Beatles for the first time when they are brought to The King's mansion on Perugia Way in Bel Air, CA. They hang out for four hours, talk music and have a little jam session. While their clients got to know each other, managers Col. Tom Parker and Brian Epstein played pool in the next room. When The Beatles left, John Lennon told Elvis’ friend Jerry Schilling to make sure that Elvis knew that “if it hadn’t been for him, The Beatles would be nothing." John Lennon would later recall: "He was great, just as I expected him."
1966: The Association's 'Cherish' is released in the U.S., where it reaches #1 a month later. Although the song is actually longer, the label showed the running time to be exactly three minutes, to keep radio programmers from dismissing the record as too long.
1966: Bobby Hebb saw his own composition, 'Sunny,' become the best selling single in America when it reached the top of the Cashbox chart. The tune has been covered by dozens of other artists, but none achieved the success of the original.
1966: The Beach Boys 'God Only Knows' peaked at #2 on the UK singles chart. The song broke new ground in many ways. It was one of the first commercial songs to use the word 'God' in its title and Brian Wilson used many unorthodox instruments, including the French horns that are heard in the song's famous introduction.
1967: Jimi Hendrix Experience with special guests Crazy World of Arthur Brown and The Crying Shames played The Saville Theatre in London.
1967: The Beatles manager Brian Epstein was found dead in his Belgravia, London home. The death was attributed to an accidental overdose of the sleeping pill Carbitrol, taken with brandy. Paul McCartney summarized the importance of Epstein by saying, “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.” In 1970, John Lennon said that Epstein’s death marked the beginning of the end for the group: “I knew that we were in trouble then...I thought, ‘We’ve f***in’ had it now'”. Epstein also managed several other artists including Gerry & The Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas, and The Fourmost.
1969: During a North American tour Led Zeppelin played two shows at the Casino Ballroom in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.
1970: Black Sabbath released the single 'Paranoid.' The song reached #61 on the Billboard hot 100 chart. In 2006 VH1 ranked it the #1 Greatest Metal song.
1970: The Kinks sensitive ode to a transvestite, 'Lola,' was released.
1972: Fresh off their now-legendary European tour, the Grateful Dead traveled to Veneta, OR and reunited with the Merry Pranksters for a common cause – to throw a benefit concert for the Kesey family’s Springfield Creamery. A stage was erected under the hot Oregon sun at the Olde Renaissance Fairgrounds, tickets were printed on the fronts of the Creamery’s yogurt labels. Footage from this event was used to make a film called 'Sunshine Daydream' that debuted on August 1, 2013.
1975: Eric Clapton appears at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1976: Aerosmith performs at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California, just outside San Francisco.
1976: Aerosmith's 'Home Tonight' b/w 'Pandora's Box' 45 single is released. It was released as the 2nd single from 'Rocks' and reached #71 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1976: Eric Clapton's 'No Reason to Cry'' album is released. It reached #15 on the Billboard Top LP's chart. Joining Clapton in the studio for the album were Bob Dylan, Ron Wood, Georgie Fame and Band-mates Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko & Richard Manuel.
1976: Manfred Mann`s Earth Band released their album 'The Roaring Silence.' It reached #10 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and features the Billboard's Hot 100 single 'Blinded by the Light' (#1).
1977: Jimmy Buffett marries his second wife, Jane Slagsvol of Columbia, South Carolina, who had co-written two of his songs, 'Something So Feminine About A Mandolin' and 'Kick It In Second Wind.'
1977: Jackson Browne plays the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. His performances of 'Running On Empty' and 'The Load Out/Stay' from the show are released on the album 'Running on Empty.' The album went on to reach #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart the following year.
1977: Crosby, Stills and Nash peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Just a Song Before I Go' which was their highest charting single in the U.S.
1978: Jon Lord joins Whitesnake.
1978: The Patti Smith Group perform on the final day of the National Jazz, Blues & Rock Festival in England.
1978: Blue Oyster Cult played at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis, Tennessee.
1978: Black Sabbath and Van Halen play Madison Square Garden in New York City.
1979: The acoustic 'My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)' is released as a single. The Neil Young song is famous for the line "it's better to burn out than to fade away." A Rock version, titled 'Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black),' is on the B-side.
1979: The Alan Parsons Project's 4th album, 'Eve' is released. It reached #13 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart.
1981: Journey play Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.
1982: Crosby Stills & Nash's 'Daylight Again' album goes gold.
1982: Robert Plant`s first solo album, 'Pictures At Eleven' goes gold.
1982: During a North American tour, Queen appeared at the Myriad in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
1982: The three day Reading Rocks Festival kicks off in the UK. Performers include: Iron Maiden, Micheal Schenker Group, Gary Moore, Budgie, Tygers Of Pan Tang, Blackfoot, Bernie Torme, Rock Goddess, Y&T, Marillion, Grand Prix, Dave Edmunds, Twisted Sister and more.
1983: David Bowie's 'China Girl' peaks at #10 on the pop chart. At the other end, ZZ Top's hot single 'Sharp Dressed Man' can't even break the Top 40 (it does far better on MTV).
1983: Asia’s sophomore album 'Alpha' entered the Billboard 200 Album Chart. It would go on to peak at #6 and be certified Platinum that October.
1984: Scorpions release their single for 'Big City Nights.'
1986: Van Halen's concert in New Haven, Connecticut is filmed, with the bulk of this show ending up as part of the 'Live Without A Net' video release.
1987: After a few of warm-up shows Def Leppard officially kick off their Hysteria World Tour in Dublin, Ireland with Tesla as openers.
1988: Robert Palmer's single 'Simply Irresistible' peaks at #5.
1988: Tracy Chapman's 'Fast Car,' one of the songs on her debut album, climbs to #6 on the U.S. charts.
1988: Iron Maiden, David Lee Roth, Guns N' Roses, Helloween, Megadeth, Anthrax, Great White and Treat play the Monsters Of Rock in Mainwiesen, Schweinfurt, Germany.
1989: Bulletboys, Sea Hags & Band Tango played The Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco.
1989: Izzy Stradlin of Guns N’ Roses loses his “patience” and pees in the aisle on a U.S. Airways flight from Indianapolis to Los Angeles after being annoyed that the bathroom was occupied. His publicist explains that, “Relieving himself in the galley was just his way of expressing himself.” After being sentenced to a year of probation for the incident, Stradlin decides to get sober and returns to his mother’s home in Indiana, where he detoxes from drugs and alcohol.
1990: Stevie Ray Vaughan is killed in a helicopter crash, flying into a man-made ski slope in dense fog. Vaughan had played a show at Alpine Valley Music Theatre, East Troy, Wisconsin with Robert Cray & His Memphis Horns, and Eric Clapton. Vaughan was informed by a member of Clapton's crew that three seats were open on a helicopter returning to Chicago with Clapton's crew. Vaughan took that seat and he along with three members of Eric Clapton’s entourage (agent Bobby Brooks, bodyguard Nigel Browne, and assistant tour manager Colin Smythe) were all killed instantly, as was the pilot, Jeff Brown. Vaughan was just 35. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Stevie Ray Vaughan #7 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarist's of all time. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside his band Double Trouble in 2015, where his brother Jimmie accepted his award.
1991: Toad the Wet Sprocket﻿'s album 'Fear' is released. It reached #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and #49 on the Top Albums chart, and features the hits, 'All I Want' (Billboard Hot 100 - #15), and 'Walk On The Ocean' (Billboard Hot 100 - #18).
1991: Bad English released their 2nd and final studio album, 'Backlash.'
1991: Pearl Jam release their debut album 'Ten' which goes on to sell over 13 million copies. 'Ten' would later peak at #2 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart in 1992.
1992: John Lennon's original written lyrics for 'A Day In The Life' fetch $87,000 at a Sotheby's London auction. The lyrics were put up for sale again in March 2006 by Bonhams in New York. Sealed bids were opened on March 7, 2006 and offers started at about $2 million. The lyric sheet was auctioned again by Sotheby's in June 2010 when it was purchased by an anonymous American buyer who paid $1.25 million (£810,000).
1994: John Mellencamp and Me'Shell Ndegeocello's remake of Van Morrison's 'Wild Night' peaks at #4 on the pop chart.
1995: Neil Young headlines the final night of the three-day Reading Festival in the U.K. with Pearl Jam as his backing band. Other acts on the bill include Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Green Day, Beck, Foo Fighters, Pavement, Mudhoney, White Zombie, Blind Melon, NOFX, Pennywise and Monster Magnet.
1996: Pearl Jam release their 4th studio album, 'No Code.'
1998: Reb Beach becomes the new guitarist for Dokken.
1999: KISS' $14 million film, 'Detroit Rock City,' opens making ONLY $2 million in it's first weekend.
2001: The Runaways reunite at the Sun Theater in Anaheim, CA to perform 'Cherry Bomb.'
2002: Guns N’ Roses performed on the MTV Video Music Awards. Axl Rose, appearing with dreadlocks, was the only original member of the band onstage.
2003: Appearing on a Eddie Trunk's New York radio show, Mets catcher Mike Piazza played 'IRS,' a new Guns N' Roses tune from their long-awaited album 'Chinese Democracy'. The band’s management immediately demanded the track be retrieved.
2004: The Foo Fighters headline San Diego's 20th annual Street Scene Festival. P.O.D. also perform at the two-day event.
2004: Winners at this years Kerrang! awards included The Darkness for best British band and best live band, best band on the planet award went to Metallica. Green Day were inducted into the Kerrang! Hall of Fame, Lostprophets won the best single for 'Last Train Home' and best album went to Muse for 'Absolution.'
2004: Green Day, The Darkness, The White Stripes, Morrissey, The Libertines, Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, 50 Cent, (50 Cent was booed off stage after being greeted by a rain of bottles thrown at him and his G-Unit crew as they came onstage). The Streets, The Vines, Soulwax, Dogs Die In Hot Cars, The Offspring, Ash, Placebo and Lostprophets all appeared at this years UK Carling Weekend in Reading and Leeds, England.
2006: The Rolling Stones played at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield, England on their 'A Bigger Bang' world tour.
2007: System Of A Down's Serj Tankian films the video for 'Praise The Lord, Pass The Ammunition,' a song from his debut solo album, 'Elect The Dead.' Directed by Greg Watermann the Hollywood shoot uses 200 people. The album is released two months later (10/23).
2008: Staind's 'The Illusion Of Progress' debuts at #3 on the Billboard 200. Despite moving 92,000 copies, it's the first of the group's last four albums not to debut at #1.
2008: Kevin Cogill, a 27-year-old blogger, is arrested by the FBI for leaking tracks from Guns N' Roses long-overdue 'Chinese Democracy' album online. Cogill is taken into custody at his home in Culver City, CA, on "suspicion of violating federal copyright laws."
2008: Rage Against The Machine headline the Tent State Music Festival To End the War during the Democratic National Convention. 9,000 people attend the show at the Denver Coliseum. Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello also help lead a cross-city march to the convention site, where organizers present Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama with a list of demands.
2008: 48 year old Mackenzie Phillips, the daughter of The Mamas And Papas' John Phillips and former co-star of the TV series 'One Day At A Time,' was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of drug possession. She would later plead guilty to one count of possession of cocaine and was sentenced to a drug rehabilitation program.
2009: Joan Jett launches a lawsuit against a former Runaways bandmate, Jackie Fox (aka Jacqueline Fuchs). Fox claims to own part of the group's trademark and is trying to block the movie, 'The Runaways,' from being released. Jett initiates the legal action so the film can premiere on schedule.
2010: The annual Leeds and Reading festivals get underway in England. Guns N' Roses, Arcade Fire and Blink-182 headline. GN'R's set starts an hour late and the band becomes livid when they can't perform past the designated curfew. "In regard to Reading we feel at the very least the fans deserve an apology from those responsible for the nonsense," tweets GN'R frontman Axl Rose following the show. "We'd also like to thank the fans for being so great, singing along n' not tearing the place apart!"
2010: NASA and U2 release a commemorative video of their promotional collaboration. Expedition 20 astronauts aboard the International Space Station spoke with U2 several times before recording a video segment the band later incorporated into its 360 Tour concerts. "More people, and different people than our normal target audiences, learned about the important work we are doing in orbit," says Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for Space Operations.
2012: Just as his new album, 'The Singer' was being released, Art Garfunkel announced that he had regained his voice after being sidelined since 2010 with vocal paresis. The condition had caused the cancellation of a planned Simon And Garfunkel North American tour and although no further reunion talks were scheduled, Garfunkel said he was still open to the idea.
2013: Annihilator released the album 'Feast.'The album was their last to feature vocalist Dave Padden. Danko Jones did lead vocals on the song 'Wrapped.'
2013: Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd releases a solo album, 'In Deep Owl.'
2013: Former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante presents "Outsides." "It's a modern approach to the concepts of harmony found in some late '50s/early '60s Free Jazz and some 20th century Classical," Frusciante says of the EP.
2014: Suicidal Tendencies bassist Tim 'Rawbiz' Williams dies. "Tim was a monster on bass, running around on stage in the pit, giving his all, even when his body wasn't at its best," reads the band's Facebook post.
2015: Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth calls out a fan for throwing a beer can onstage during the band's concert in Camden, NJ. "In a younger day, I would've promised I would've slept with his girlfriend," says Roth. "At this point in my career, the roughest, most f***ed insult I could probably make to this guy is that I probably already have slept with his wife."
2015: With only 15.66 million digital songs sold in the US during the previous week, the music industry saw its lowest weekly sales since December 2007 when just 15.64 million units were sold. Live music was another matter, as ticket sales for concerts across America were up 5.6% in the first eight months of the year.

August 28
1961: Joe Dowell went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with his version of 'Wooden Heart'. The song is best known for its use in the 1960 Elvis Presley film 'G.I. Blues,' which gave Elvis a #1 hit in the United Kingdom.
1963: Martin Luther King delivers his famous "I Have A Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. The music connection: Peter, Paul and Mary play their hit version of Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' In The Wind' before King speaks.
1964: The Beatles smoke pot for the first time after one of their concerts in New York state. The weed was supplied by Bob Dylan, who they meet for the first time as well. Dylan is surprised they haven't tried it before, as he thought they sang "I get high" in their song 'I Want To Hold Your Hand,' when it was really "I can't hide."
1964: The Beatles make the cover of Life Magazine.
1965: The Rolling Stones sign a 5 year contract with Decca records and sign a management contract with Allen Klein, who co-manages the group along with Andrew Long Oldham.
1965: Bob Dylan played the first night of a 40 date North American tour at Forest Hills Tennis Stadium in New York City. Dylan played the first set solo and was backed by a band consisting of Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Harvey Brooks and Al Kooper in the second set.
1965: The Beach Boys 'California Girls' was at #3 on the U.S. singles chart, the single peaked at #26 in the UK. The music for the song came from Brian Wilson's first LSD experience.
1966: The Beatles performed one show at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to a crowd of 45,000. Bob Eubanks is the concert’s promoter, a radio DJ who had been putting on many a year and goes on to host the 'Newlywed Game.' They initially leave after the gig in an ambulance which hits a speed bump on the way out of the parking lot and the radiator falls out. They are able to transfer to an armored car, but fans quickly swarm the truck making it impossible to move. The Beatles have to spend two hours in the back of the truck before they can leave the stadium. Eubanks says, “Lord knows where they came from but all of a sudden a bunch of Hells Angels surrounded the truck and got the Beatles out of Dodger Stadium.”
1967: The Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company play at the wake of a Hell's Angels member who was struck by a car in San Francisco.
1968: Simon and Garfunkel started a five-week run at #1 on the album chart with ‘Bookends’.
1968: The Beach Boys were at #1 on the singles chart with ‘Do It Again’, the group’s second and final #1.
1968: The Doors are awarded a Gold record for 'Hello, I Love You,' which had reached #15 in the UK and #1 in the US.
1968: Working at Trident Studios, London, The Beatles started recording a new John Lennon song ‘Dear Prudence.' They built the song instrument by instrument, utilizing the 8-track equipment at Trident. John and George played guitars, while Paul plays drums to compensate for Ringo, who had quit The Beatles on August 22.
1969: Paul and Linda McCartney become parents to a daughter they name Mary, after Paul's mother.
1969: The Grateful Dead played at Family Dog at the Great Highway, in San Francisco. The site was at the former Edgewater Ballroom, part of the Playland At The Beach complex. Family Dog had to relocate there after being forced out of the Avalon Ballroom.
1970: During a four-week engagement at The International Hotel in Las Vegas, a security guard at the hotel received a phone call in which he was told Elvis Presley would be shot during his last show. The person demanded $50,000 to reveal the name of the potential killer. Later that day a menu was found in Elvis’ mail at the hotel on which Elvis’ face was destroyed and a gun had been drawn pointing to his heart. The threats were taken very seriously. Elvis played his last show without any incident.
1970: The Allman Brothers Band performed in Pensacola, Florida.
1971: Mott the Hoople led off the acts at the Weeley Festival, Clacton on Sea, Essex, England. Artists on the bill that day also included Rory Gallagher, Caravan, Lindisfarne, The Faces with Rod Stewart, and Van Der Graaf Generator took the stage at 11:30.
1971: Canada's Five Man Electrical Band saw their hit single 'Signs' peak at #3 on the U.S. Pop chart.
1972: Procol Harum goes gold with 'Live In Concert With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.'
1972: David Bowie & The Spiders From Mars make their debut at NY's Carnegie Hall.
1973: Deep Purple received a Gold record for 'Smoke On the Water,' which hit #5 in the US, on its way to selling over two million copies. It was the band's biggest success since 'Hush' which also reached #5 in 1968.
1974: Hawkwind played at Home Park in Windsor, England.
1975: Aerosmith released their 8th single, 'Walk This Way.' The song peaked at #10 on the #Billboard hot 100 chart.
1975: Aerosmith performed at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland.
1976: A 'live' version of Peter Frampton's 'Baby, I Love Your Way' peaks at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. It was Frampton’s second top 40 single in the U.S.
1976: Spirit performed a special reunion concert in Santa Monica, California. Neil Young was so overcome, he got onstage to play 'Like a Rolling Stone' with them, but guitarist Randy California pushed him away. After the band’s bass player explained Young was there by his invitation, the concert proceeded as normal.
1977: Yes appeared at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky, which is adjacent to Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby.
1978: Genesis performs at Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria.
1978: Marvel Comics publishes KISS' second comic book special.
1978: The Rolling Stones 'Beast Of Burden' b/w 'When The Whip Comes Down' 45 single is released.
1979: Two Neil Young records are certified gold. The "best of" compilation 'Decade' and the live (acoustic and electric) 'Rust Never Sleeps.'
1979: The Allman Brothers Band plays at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, New York.
1981: Guy Stevens (music producer/manager) dies of a prescription drug overdose in South London, England, at age 38. He produced The Clash's 3rd album, 'London Calling.' He also worked with Mott The Hoople, Free and The Clash. He was the president of the Chuck Berry Appreciation Society and it was Stevens who brought Berry to the UK for his first tour. He gave Procol Harum and Mott the Hoople their distinctive names.
1982: Eddie Money appeared on American Bandstand where he performed 'Think I’m in Love' and 'Shakin’.
1982: Elvis Costello's 'Imperial Bedroom' hits the charts.
1982: Iron Maiden break from their U.S. tour to headline the Reading Festival.
1983: Thin Lizzy appeared at the Reading Festival, along with the Climax Blues Band, Little Steven & The Disciples of Soul, Opposition, Sad Café, Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel, Ten Years After, and The Enid. It would be bassist/vocalist Phil Lynott’s last UK performance.
1986: Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood and Neil Young perform in a show that's billed as, 'Get Tough On Toxics' in Long Beach, California. The show also featured all of The Eagles except Glenn Frey, who was in the hospital with an intestinal disorder.
1986: Tina Turner receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1988: Metallica release their 5th single, 'Harvester of Sorrow.' The single contained two B-sides, both of which were cover songs:'"Breadfan,' originally by Budgie, and 'The Prince,' originally by Diamond Head.
1988: England's Reading Rock Festival features the Ramones and Iggy Pop.
1988: Aerosmith and special guests Guns N' Roses play Buckeye Lake Music Center in Thornville, Ohio.
1989: Motley Crue release their 10th single, 'Dr. Feelgood.' It was their first American Top Ten hit, peaking at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1991: The final date of the first annual Lollapalooza tour took place at the King County Fairgrounds outside of Seattle which was headlined by Jane’s Addiction and also featured Living Colour and Nine Inch Nails. The tour was one of the hottest tickets on the U.S. summer tour circuit becoming the 1990’s most successful tour packages.
1993: Iron Maiden performed their final concert with singer Bruce Dickinson at the Pinewood Studios in London and it was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the U.S. Dickinson later re-joined Iron Maiden in 1999.
1993: Billy Joel had the #1 album in the U.S. with 'River of Dreams.' The L.P. stayed at #1 for three weeks and would go on to sell over 4 million copies in America. The album cover painted by Billy's then wife Christie Brinkley was bashed by critics, some calling it the worst album cover of the year. The couple would divorce one year later.
1996: Isaac Hayes, who co-wrote Sam And Dave's classic 'Soul Man,' sends a protest letter to presidential candidate Bob Dole, requesting Dole stop using his song, which supporters had changed to "I'm A Dole Man."
1996: Michael Schenker Group released their 5th studio album, 'Written in the Sand.'
1997: In Leeds on the U2 Popmart tour, Bono responds to George Harrison's comment, "Bono and his band are so egocentric," by holding up a middle finger and saying, "This one's for you George!"
1999: Cheap Trick performed their 25th anniversary concert at Davis Park in their hometown of Rockford, IL. Some special guests included Slash, Billy Corgan, and Art Alexakis. They performed at least one song from all of their albums.
2001: Weezer releases 'Island in the Sun,' the second single from 'Weezer' (aka The Green Album).
2001: Slipknot released their album 'Iowa.' The album peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart.
2002: Bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake have had their case against the Osbournes dismissed by Judge Christina A. Snyder who says that the statute of limitations had long since expired, and because the two artists could not show cause as to why they were improperly credited on the albums in question, 'Blizzard Of Ozz' and 'Diary Of A Madman.' Daisley and Kerslake were looking for over 20 million in lost songwriting royalties.
2003: Duran Duran get a Lifetime Achievement Award at the MTV Video Music Awards.
2004: The Beastie Boys headline a Miami Beach concert, MTV2 Presents: A LIFEbeat Benefit, organized to raise HIV/AIDS awareness among young fans.
2005: Green Day are big winners at the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami. The group earns trophies for Video of the Year ('Boulevard Of Broken Dreams') and Viewer's Choice ('American Idiot'). "It's great to know Rock music still has a place on MTV," says frontman Billie Joe Armstrong.
2005: Art Garfunkel, who pleaded guilty last year to pot possession in upstate New York, was charged again after a marijuana cigarette was allegedly found in the ashtray of his car.
2006: Iron Maiden released their 14th studio album, 'A Matter of Life and Death.' It was the first album in Iron Maiden's career to enter the Billboard charts in the top 10.
2007: 'Heaven & Hell: Live At Radio City Music Hall' is released. The band consists of founding Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iomi and bassist Geezer Butler, vocalist Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice.
2007: Collective Soul issues "Afterwords." The CD is available exclusively at Target stores. "There seems to be no right or wrong way in the industry these days and it's exciting to be doing something different," explains frontman Ed Roland. The album is also sold digitally via iTunes.
2007: The Scorpions release 'Humanity: Hour 1' in the U.S. The opening track 'Hour I' has been used as the intro of the NHL's Minnesota Wild since the 2007–08 season.
2007: Hilly Kristal, owner of CBGB, dies of lung cancer in New York City at 75. Kristal opened “CBGB and OMFUG” in 1970 , which stood for “Country, Blue Grass, Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers.” The club was a seminal starting point for many punk rock and new wave acts, including The Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Television, and Blondie. Kristal was also a singer and co-founded the Central Park Music Festival.
2008: 'Rock N' Roll Train,' the first single from AC/DC's album 'Black Ice,' is released. The b-side was the song 'War Machine.' The song was the first by AC/DC to chart on the #Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
2009: 'Halloween II' is in theaters. The film was written and directed by Rob Zombie.
2009: The 25th annual San Diego Street Scene Festival features Cage The Elephant, Mastodon, the Dead Weather (Jack White's band) and Cake.
2009: The Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park gets underway. Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band, the Mars Volta, Beastie Boys and Incubus perform during the three-day event.
2009: Noel Gallagher quits Oasis, saying, “It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.” He also admits that he and his brother rarely spoke, did not travel together and only saw each other on stage. The day he issued his statement, Noel had fought against his brother Liam backstage at the Rock en Seine Festival in Paris before the show they were about to perform, which was cancelled just minutes before it was to begin. The band also immediately cancelled upcoming shows in Germany and Italy.
2010: Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder takes part in a rally and concert for the West Memphis 3 at the Robinson Center Music Hall in Little Rock, AK. The rally is in support of getting Jason Baldwin, Damien Echols and Jessie Misskelley, three men thought to be wrongly convicted of murder, released from prison; and Echols off of death row.
2010: Soundgarden play a set of hits at a secret show at Paramount Studios in L.A. to celebrate the release of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
2010: Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day) makes his Broadway debut in 'American Idiot,' the musical that he co-authored. Armstrong plays the role of St. Jimmy for a six day run at St. James Theatre in New York. Tony Vincent who was cast as St. Jimmy left the production to deal with family matters.
2011: The Foo Fighters 'Walk' takes home the trophy for Best Rock Video at the MTV Video Music Awards. Also, Queen guitarist Brian May joins Lady Gaga onstage for the show's opening performance, a rendition of the singer's 'You And I' (May played on the studio version). Lady Gaga performs dressed like a '50s-greaser.
2012: The Website Celebritynetworth.com named Ringo Starr as the world's richest drummer, with an estimated fortune of $300 million. Phil Collins was ranked second with $250 million, former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl was third with $225 million, The Eagles' Don Henley came in forth with $200 million and Metallica's Lars Ulrich rounded out the top five with $175 million. Also making the top ten were U2 star Larry Mullen and The Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts.
2012: World Fire Brigade release their debut album, 'Spreading My Wings.' The group consists of Fuel's Brett Scallions (vocals), Sean Danielsen (vocals/lead guitar) and producer Eddie Wohl (keyboards).
2012: 3 Doors Down debut 'One Light' at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, taking the stage after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gives the keynote address to party delegates.
2012: Duff McKagan and The Make-A-Wish Foundation team up to make 13-year-old Simone Capelli's dream come true. Capelli, who lives with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as Brittle Bone Disease, performs at Seattle's Hard Rock Cafe with some help from McKagan and local band. "Tonight is about making him feel like a Rock star," says Wish Manager, Jessie Elenbaas.
2013: Nazareth singer Dan McCafferty retires due to health issues. The veteran vocalist collapsed on stage in Switzerland the previous weekend. "I've got Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and it's been getting worse over the years," says McCafferty.
2013: Ozzy Osbourne sets his L.A. home on fire while attempting to make himself a bacon sandwich. Firefighters are called and later determine that an unattended candle was the cause.
2014: Glenn Cornick, the original bass player for Jethro Tull, died of congestive heart failure at the age of 67. Cornick performed with Tull from its inception in late 1967 until 1970.
2015: Motorhead release their 22nd, and last studio album, 'Bad Magic.' The album reached #35 on the Billboard chart.
2015: Act Of Defiance, with the former Megadeth duo of Chris Broderick and Shawn Drover, release their debut album, 'Birth And The Burial.' The group also includes former Scar The Martyr singer Henry Derek Bonner and Shadows Fall bassist Matt Bachand.
2016: John Lennon's killer, Mark David Chapman, was denied parole for the 9th time. Earlier newspaper reports said that five letters recommending Chapman's release this year had been received by the board, but Lennon's widow Yoko Ono had written the three-man board opposing it. Chapman's next hearing was scheduled for 2018.
2016: 'Heathens' by Twenty One Pilots is named the Best Rock Video at the MTV Video Music Awards, David Bowie’s 'Blackstar' takes home the Best Art Direction Award and Coldplay’s 'Up & Up' receives the nod for Best Visual Effects.
2017: Gibson.com, the guitar maker’s website, present their list of the top Metal songs of all-time. Heading the list are: #3 'Crazy Train,' (Ozzy Osbourne), #2 'Ace of Spades' (Motorhead) and #1 'Master of Puppets' (Metallica).
2017: Bring Me The Horizon singer Oli Sykes announces a collaboration between his clothing brand Drop Dead and the HBO TV show 'Game Of Thrones.'

August 29
1958: Alan Freed's first Big Beat Revue Show opened at the Fox Theatre in Brooklyn. Those performing included Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and the Comets, Frankie Avalon, Jimmy Clanton, Bobby Freeman, and The Elegants.
1959: The Quarry Men (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ken Brown) performed at the Casbah Coffee Club, Hayman's Green, West Derby, Liverpool. This is the opening night of a new teen club in a large Victorian house that is owned by Mrs. Mona Best and the first of seven straight Saturdays that The Quarry Men play here. The band shared one microphone connected to the house P.A.
1962: Elvis' 10th movie, 'Kid Galahad,' opens in U.S. theaters, featuring the King as an amateur boxer. Charles Bronson also stars.
1964: Billboard magazine reports that guitar sales in both the U.S. and the UK, have skyrocketed in the wake of the British Invasion.
1964: Roy Orbison's 'Oh, Pretty Woman' was released in the U.S. It went on to reach #1 four weeks later. The title was inspired by Orbison's wife Claudette interrupting a conversation to announce she was going out; when Orbison asked if she was okay for cash, his co-writer Bill Dees interjected "A pretty woman never needs any money."
1964: Billboard magazine notes that guitar sales are the highest they've been since the advent of Elvis Presley.
1965: During a U.S. tour The Beatles appeared at the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, California. Tickets cost $3.00. The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl became a live album released in May 1977, compiled from two live performances at the Hollywood Bowl during August 1964 and August 1965.
1966: Seven years to the day since John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison first performed together at Liverpool's Casbah Coffee Club, The Beatles play their last paid, public concert in front of 25,000 fans at San Francisco's Candlestick Park. The band did 11 songs in just over a half an hour, opening with 'Rock & Roll Music' and closing with 'Long Tall Sally.' The show began at 8:00pm on Monday, August 29, with the support acts, in order of appearance, The Remains, Bobby Hebb, The Cyrkle and The Ronettes. Although their latest album, 'Revolver' had just been released a few weeks earlier, the band chose not to play even a single cut from it. Except for the rooftop performance in "Let It Be" this is it. The Beatles never tour again. Much of the existing film footage of the concert was captured in color by a 15-year-old Beatles fan, Barry Hood.
1967: Brian Epstein's funeral is held in Liverpool. The event was not attended by The Beatles, who wished to give his family privacy by not attracting the media and fans.
1967: The Who performed at Municipal Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia.
1969: Led Zeppelin played the first of two nights at the Singer Bowl Music Festival in Flushing Meadow Park.
1969: Bob Seger divorces his first wife after only ten months of marriage.
1970: The Man-Pop Festival was held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, with Led Zeppelin as the headliner. Other artists performing at the festival included The Youngbloods, The Ides of March, Iron Butterfly, C'illiwack and local bands, including Dianne Heatherington and The Merry Go Round.
1970: 'Eric Clapton' peaks at #13 on the U.S. LP chart.
1970: Edwin Starr's 'War' hits #1. It would go on to win the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
1970: The Kinks release their gender-bending hit 'Lola.'
1970: Grand Funk Railroad, David Allan Coe and The Third Power played at The Warehouse in New Orleans, Louisiana.
1970: The Isle of Wight Festival hits its stride on Day 4 (of 5), with performances by Miles Davis, The Doors and The Who. Joni Mitchell's set is interrupted by a hippie named Yogi Joe who has to be removed by security. It also features Emerson, Lake And Palmer in only their second live performance, which is later released as the album 'Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.'
1973: Redbone's 'Come And Get Your Love' b/w 'Day To Day Life' 45 single is released. The song peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1974. It spent 18 weeks in the Top 40 and landed as the 4th most popular song on the Hot 100 for 1974. The single was certified gold by the RIAA on April 22, 1974, which indicates that it had sold over a million copies in the United States.
1975: ZZ Top performed at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City
1976: Jimmy Reed died in San Francisco following an epileptic seizure just before his 51st birthday. Reed influenced artists such as Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Billy Gibbons, Hank Williams, Jr, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jerry Garcia and the Rolling Stones.
1976: The British music magazine Sounds publishes letters responding to Eric Clapton's racist rant at his Birmingham concert earlier in the month. "Own up, half your music is black," one of them states. "You are rock music's biggest colonist." This particular missive includes a call to action with an address to join Rock Against Racism, "A rank and file movement against the racist poison in rock music." Rock Against Racism soon becomes a viable movement, holding a series of concerts and festivals in support of tolerance.
1976: The Clash, Sex Pistols and Buzzcocks perform together at The Screen On The Green in London, at a Midnight Special Punk event. Organized by Malcolm Maclaren, this was notable for many reasons including, it was only The Clash's third gig and the first ever to be recorded, and is the earliest known (after the Manchester Free Trade Hall concert from April 1976) recorded performance and a rare recording of The Sex Pistols with Glen Matlock.
1977: Three people were arrested in Memphis after trying to steal Elvis' body, causing his remains to be later moved to Graceland.
1977: Iggy Pop's 2nd solo album, 'Lust for Life' is released.
1977: AC/DC rocked the first of three nights at the fabled Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles.
1980: The Grateful Dead played the first of two nights at the Spectrum in Philadelphia.
1980: Eddie Van Halen met future wife Valerie Bertinelli for the first time at a Van Halen concert in Shreveport, LA. They would get married eight months later.
1981: The soundtrack to the film 'Heavy Metal,' featuring Sammy Hagar, Cheap Trick, Stevie Nicks and more enters the album charts.
1981: Electric Light Orchestra reached #1 on the U.K. Album Chart for the second time with 'Time,' which spent two weeks on top of the chart.
1981: The two day Rock on the Tyne festival began in Gateshead, England, featuring Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, U2, Rory Gallagher, Doll By Doll, Wang Chung, Becket, Dr Feelgood, The Gingers Nutters (featuring Ginger Baker), Trimmer and Jenkins and Lindisfarne.
1981: The Allman Brothers Band performed at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Missouri.
1981. Billboard’s Hot 100 includes debuts Aretha Franklin and George Benson’s 'Love All The Hurt' Away at #89. REO Speedwagon’s 'In Your Letter' was #34, The Greg Kihn Band’s The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em), and Foreigner’s 'Urgent' #8.‬
1982: Reading Rock Festival '82 wrapped up with Michael Schenker Group as the headliner. Other acts over the weekend included Iron Maiden, Y&T, Gary Moore, Budgie, Manowar, Twisted Sister, Tygers of Pan Tang, Bernie Torme, Grand Prix, Marillion, Rock Goddess, Blackfoot, Randy California and more.
1984: U2 kicked off their 'Unforgettable Fire' World Tour at Christchurch Town Hall in New Zealand, the first of 19 shows in Australia and New Zealand.
1986: The studio in Philadelphia where 'American Bandstand' was shot is entered into the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
1987: Los Lobos tops the pop chart with a cover of Ritchie Valens 'La Bamba.' Singer Cesar Rosas said that the song itself is a traditional Mexican tune that means "wedding song."
1987: The Beastie Boys song 'Brass Monkey' reportedly increases sales for the cocktail mix.
1987: Def Leppard scored their first UK #1 album with 'Hysteria,' which also became a chart topper in the US in July the following year, after spending 49 weeks working its way to the top.
1988: Helloween released the album 'Keeper Of The Seven Keys: Part II.' I Want Out' remains the band's best-known song, and has been covered by several metal bands including Gamma Ray and HammerFall.
1990: Elton John checks into a rehab center in Chicago to get treatment for bulimia, alcoholism and drugs.
1991: DJ Kurt St. Thomas from radio station WFNX in Boston gives Nirvana's album 'Nevermind' its world premiere by playing the album from start to finish.
1991: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers kicked off their world tour in support of 'Into the Great Wide Open' at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre in Denver.
1991: Metallica released the single 'Don't Tread On Me.' The title is connected with the American Revolutionary War. The words "Don't Tread on Me" constitute the motto of the Gadsden flag.
1992: U2 became only the second act ever (Billy Joel was the first) to play at The Yankee Stadium in New York City as part of their sold out 'Zoo TV' tour.
1992: Guns N' Roses' 'November Rain' peaks at #3 on the pop singles chart. It spent 20 weeks on the chart and was their 6th and final top 10 single in the U.S.
1992: Billy Joel's remake of Elvis' "All Shook Up" peaks at #92 on the US singles chart. The song was from the soundtrack of the film 'Honeymoon In Vegas'.
1994: Oasis released their debut album 'Definitely Maybe', which spent 177 weeks on the UK chart. It also became the fastest selling debut album of all time in the UK and the album sold over eight million copies worldwide. 'Definitely Maybe' marked the beginning of Oasis’ success in America, selling over one million copies there, despite only peaking at 58 on the Billboard 200. The album went on to sell over 10 million copies worldwide and brought widespread critical acclaim.
1994: During the Meat Puppets set opening for Stone Temple Pilots at the Beacon Theatre in New York City, the famous DJ Howard Stern joins them on stage to jam on 'Lake of Fire.'
1995: Heart release their 3rd live album, 'The Road Home.'
1995: Mad Season release the recording of their last live performance,'Live at The Moore.'
1997: The Foo Fighters play the 27th Annual Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle. The concert is guitarist Pat Smear's last full show with the group for nine years.
1998: Foo Fighters wrap up their 'The Colour And The Shape' world tour at England's Reading Festival.
1999: Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Offspring, Silverchair, Buckcherry, Orgy, Luscious Jackson, Sick Of It All, Fountains Of Wayne and more all appeared at The Carling Reading/Leeds three day festival in the UK.
2000: Slipknot smash glasses, set fire to their table, throw a monitor off the stage and destroy a microphone at the Kerrang! Awards. The band picked up 3 awards including best single and best live act.
2002: The MTV Video Music Awards open with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band performing 'The Rising' (the show's air date is near the first anniversary of 9/11) and closes with an uninspired Guns N' Roses. In between, there's an embarrassing Michael Jackson-Britney Spears pairing as the White Stripes and No Doubt pick up trophies.
2003: New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza was a guest on Eddie Trunk’s radio show in New York & persuaded Trunk to play a CD he received containing songs from Guns N’ Roses’ then-unreleased 'Chinese Democracy.' Trunk played the song 'I.R.S.' Guns N’ Roses’ management issued a verbal cease-and-desist order immediately.
2004: Jet win the award for Best Rock Video for 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' at the MTV Video Music Awards. Linkin Park's animated 'Breaking The Habit' clip takes the Viewer's Choice Award. Beastie Boys and Evanescence singer Amy Lee are presenters with performances by the victorious Jet and Hoobastank.
2005: A 77-year-old Fats Domino was rescued from his Ninth Ward home after the Hurricane Katrina flooding in New Orleans after earlier telling his agent he planned to remain in his home despite the order to evacuate.
2005: Iron Maiden release their 8th live album, 'Death on the Road.' It was recorded in Dortmund, Germany on November 24, 2003.
2005: Journey release their 12th studio album, 'Generations.'
2005: Pearl Jam plays a benefit concert in support of Jon Tester's election to the U.S. Senate. "The future of Montana depends on keeping communities in rural Montana alive and well," says bassist Jeff Ament. He adds that electing Tester, Montana Senate President, will accomplish that.
2005: Backbeat Books publishes 'Eddie Van Halen: Know The Man, Play The Music.' The book deals with Van Halen's guitar technique and the career of the band (from L.A. clubs to '04).
2006: Black Crowes announce they have replaced longtime keyboard player Eddie Hawrysch with Rob Clore as the group prepares for a U.S. tour. A band statement cites "personal issues" as the reason for Hawrysch's departure.
2006: David Gilmour and his band play an intimate three song set at London's famous Abbey Road Studios. The performance is filmed for a British TV show called 'The Abbey Road Sessions.'
2006: Dream Theater release their 5th live album, 'Score.'
2006: Gwar released the album 'Beyond Hell.' The band did a cover of the Alice Cooper song 'School's Out' on this album.
2006: Motorhead released the album 'Kiss Of Death.' It was notable for being the final Motörhead album to feature original artwork by longtime artist Joe Petagno.
2006: The Beatles' ‘Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band’ was voted the best #1 album of all time by the British public. The album released in 1967, topped the poll to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the UK album chart.
2006: Sam Moore's album, 'Overnight Sensational' is released. The legendary Soul singer's effort has contributions from Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Bon Jovi, Paul Rodgers, Steve Winwood and Sting.
2006: Bob Dylan releases 'Modern Times.'
2006: Peter Frampton is one of the musicians who performs with showbiz wannabe singers on the Fox series 'Celebrity Duets'. The program's executive producer is none other than American Idol's Simon Cowell.
2007: Rob Zombie signs a deal with Dimension Films to write and direct two movies. "(The partnership is a) natural step in the evolution of my film career," says the former White Zombie frontman. Dimension financed Zombie's '07 remake of Halloween.
2007: Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards writes a letter demanding apologies from two Swedish tabloids (Expressen and Aftonblat) that published negative reviews of the band's performance at (Gothenburg's) Ullevi stadium. "There were 56,000 people who experienced a completely different show than the one you reviewed,'" wrote the guitarist. Expressen claims Richards was drunk while Aftonblat says he seemed "a bit confused."
2007: Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose is sued by a security guard who claims that the singer kicked him in the head during a gig in Universal City, CA. Rose's lawyer insists that video exists proving Roses' innocence. Perhaps 'innocence' is the wrong word to use in conjunction with Rose. A better term might be "lack of guilt."
2008: Van Halen's 'Right Now' is played at the Dayton, OH, political rally where Republican presidential candidate John McCain announces his running mate is Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Van Halen is not pleased stating that the McCain camp never submitted a request to use the song, and "had they asked, permission would not have been granted." Meanwhile, ex-Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar, who sang on the '91 hit, issues a statement saying that he didn't object to McCain using the song.
2008: Foo Fighters headline the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company's 105th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee. Three Days Grace is the opening act.
2009: 'I Met The Walrus,' an animated short film based on a '69 Toronto interview with John Lennon during the infamous "bed-in for peace" wins the New Approaches--Daytime Entertainment honor during the 36th annual Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. "We're shocked and honored to have won this," says Josh Raskin, who wrote, directed and animated the clip.
2009: 'Glorious Excess (Dies),' artwork by Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda goes on display at the Japanese American National Museum in L.A. According to Shinoda, the pieces represent "obsession with celebrity culture, consumer addiction and fascination with excess." 2009
2009: A 1970 interview with John Lennon, in which he revealed some of the reasons that The Beatles split, appeared in Rolling Stone magazine. John said that his band mates disrespected and "insulted" his wife, Yoko Ono, adding, "They despised her... It seemed I had to be happily married to them or Yoko, and I chose Yoko." He also took a shot at his former songwriting partner, saying "We got fed up with being sidemen for Paul."
2012: AC/DC's 'It's A Long Way To The Top (If You Want To Rock And Roll)' is selected for inclusion in Australia's National Registry Of Recorded Sound. Written by Angus Young, Malcolm Young and Bon Scott, the song first appeared on the band's '75 album, 'T.N.T.'
2012: Bruce Springsteen's 'Land Of Hope And Dreams' is featured in a commercial promoting TBS coverage of the baseball playoffs. The video shows baseball highlights along with clips of Springsteen and the E-Street Band performing the song.
2013: Carlos Santana, Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie share the stage for the first time in over 40 years. The Santana veterans perform at the end of Journey's concert at the Pearl Theater at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Schon and Rollie were also Journey founding members. Schon stayed; Rollie left.
2015: Big Pink, the New York house that served as the setting for Bob Dylan and The Band's 'Basement Tapes' sessions in '67, and The Band's '68 debut 'Music From The Big Pink,' is available as a vacation rental. The nightly rate is $650.
2016: 'Take Me Down,' the first single from The Pretty Reckless’s album, 'Who You Selling For,' is #1 on the Rock chart. It’s their fourth consecutive #1.

August 30
1957: Buddy Holly and Little Richard are among the acts playing Alan Freed's Third Anniversary Show at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn.
1959: Bobby Darin's 'Mack the Knife' debuts on Billboard's Pop chart. The song, taken from a 1928 German play called Three Penny Opera, will be Darin's biggest hit, reaching #1 and winning a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
1961: 24 year old Gene Chandler records 'Duke Of Earl' for Vee Jay Records. It will become the label's first #1 and first million seller next February.
1962: The Beatles played at the Cavern Club, Liverpool, at lunchtime and at the Riverpark Ballroom in Chester at night with Gerry & the Pacemakers.
1965: Bob Dylan's 6th studio album 'Highway 61 Revisited' is released. It reached #3 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and features the single, 'Like a Rolling Stone,' which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2003, it was ranked #4 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, and three songs, 'Like a Rolling Stone' (#1), 'Desolation Row' (#185), and 'Highway 61 Revisited' (#364) were listed on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
1966: The Who begin two days of recording at IBC Studios and Pye No. 2 Studio in London. During the sessions the group records The Regent’s 'Barbara Ann,' The Everly Brothers’ 'Man with Money,' Martha and the Vandellas’ 'Heatwave,' and the theme to the then smash hit TV show Batman. The tracks are intended for a new album tentatively titled 'Jigsaw Puzzle.' Kit Lambert produces and Paul Clay engineers.
1966: The Mamas & the Papas self-titled 2nd album is released. It peaked at #4 in the US and #24 in the UK. The lead off single, 'I Saw Her Again,' peaked at #5 in the U.S. and #11 in the UK.'"Words of Love' was released as the second single in the U.S. and peaked at #5. In the UK, it was released as a double A-side with 'Dancing in the Street' and peaked at #47.
1968: The Beatles released the 'Hey Jude' single. Written for the young Julian Lennon by Paul McCartney the song ultimately went to #1.
1968: Janis Joplin plays the first of two nights at The Palace of Fine Arts Festival in San Francisco.
1968: Howlin’ Wolf appeared at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.
1968: Yes played at the Civic Centre in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, England.
1968: The Byrds 6th album, 'Sweetheart of the Rodeo' is released. It reached #77 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart. In 2003, the album was ranked #117 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
1968: The Rolling Stones 'Street Fighting Man' b/w 'No Expectations' 45 single is released. Called the band's "most political song", Rolling Stone ranked the song #301 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
1969: The three day Texas International Pop Festival opens in Dallas. Performers include Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Sam & Dave, Santana, Johnny Winter, Grand Funk Railroad, Delaney & Bonnie, Nazz, Spirit, BB King, Canned Heat and Chicago. Over 120,000 fans attended the festival.
1969: Two weeks after the Woodstock festival, the second Isle of Wight festival took place. Bob Dylan makes his first official public appearance since his 1966 motorcycle accident. Also on the bill were The Band, Blodwyn Pig, Blonde On Blonde, Bonzo Dog Dooh Dah Band, Edgar Broughton Band, Joe Cocker, Aynsley Dunbar, Family, Fat Mattress, Julie Felix, Free, Gypsy, Richie Havens, The Moody Blues, The Nice, Tom Paxton, Pentangle, The Pretty Things, Third Ear Band and The Who. Tickets 25 shillings, ($3.00). Over 150,000 turned up over the two days, including Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Liz Taylor and Richard Burton.
1969: Ozzy Osbourne announces onstage that the band Earth has a new name: Black Sabbath.
1969: Bob Seger files for divorce from his wife, Sandy, after just ten months of marriage.
1970: The Rolling Stones kicked off a 20-date European tour in Malmo Sweden.
1971: John Lennon and Yoko Ono fly from London to New York. Lennon never returns to the U.K.
1971: The Beach Boys 17th studio album, 'Surf's Up' is released. It reached #29 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and #15 on the UK Albums chart.
1972: John Lennon and Yoko Ono were joined by Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack and Sha Na Na at a fund raising concert for the One To One charity at New York's Madison Square Garden. Lennon personally bought $60,000 worth of tickets which were given to volunteer fundraisers. Several of the performances were later included on Lennon's, 'Live in New York City' album.
1972: The Allman Brothers Band appeared at Municipal Auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia.
1972: David Bowie performed at the Rainbow Theatre in London.
1972: Blood, Sweat And Tears 'Alone' b/w 'So Long Dixie' 45 single is released.
1973: The Doors finally broke up. Following Jim Morrison’s death in July 1971, the band had released two more albums.
1974: The Ramones made one of their many appearances at CBGB in New York City.
1975: Guitarist Paul Kossoff (Free, Back Street Crawler) 'died' for 35 minutes in a hospital after being taken ill. Kossoff did die on March 19, 1976 of heart failure after a history of drug abuse.
1975: Rod Stewart had his 5th UK #1 album when 'Atlantic Crossing' started a five-week run at the top of the charts. The title indicated Stewart's new artistic direction, and on his departure to escape the 83 per cent top rate of income tax introduced by British Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson for the jet-set lifestyle in Los Angeles.
1975: Eric Clapton played at the Scope in Norfolk, Virginia.
1975: Orleans enters the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time with 'Dance With Me,' which would climb to #6. They would return a year later with 'Still The One' (#5) and again in 1979 with 'Love Takes Time' (#11).
1976: Members of The Clash are present at the Notting Hill riots in England as black youth clash with police. The experience inspires them to write 'White Riot' as a call for white people to protest with the same furor.
1976: Aerosmith played at the International Center Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii.
1978: Patti Smith appeared at The Odeon in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1978: The Grateful Dead appeared at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado.
1978: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 'Listen To Her Heart' b/w 'I Don't Know What To Say To You' 45 single is released. It peaked at #59 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in October 1978.
1981: The Rolling Stones release 'Tattoo You.'
1982: During a North American tour, Queen appeared at McNichols Arena, Denver, Colorado.
1985: Stormtroopers Of Death released their debut album 'Speak English Or Die.' The album is considered one of the greatest and most influential crossover thrash albums of all time.
1986: David Lee Roth's 'Yankee Rose' peaks at #16 on Billboard's Hot 100.
1986: Former lead vocalist for The Spencer Davis Group, Steve Winwood had the #1 record in the U.S. with 'Higher Love.'
1988: Bruce Springsteen's wife Julianne filed for a divorce after newspapers published photos of Springsteen and backing singer Patti Scialfa together.
1988: Thomas "Papa Dee" Allen (percussionist/saxophonist/vocalist for War) collapses onstage during a performance in Solano County, California. He dies of a brain aneurysm at age 58.
1988: Danzig release their self-titled debut album. James Hetfield did background vocals on 'Twist of Cain' and 'Possession.'
1989: Billy Joel fired his manager and former brother-in-law Frank Weber after an audit revealed discrepancies. Joel later took him to court and sued for $90 million.
1989: Guns N' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin is arrested for creating a disturbance on an airline flight. Stradlin had urinated on the floor, verbally abused a stewardess and smoked in the non-smoking section of the aircraft.
1990: Reo Speedwagon's 'The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog And A Chicken' album is released.
1991: Guns N' Roses, Skid Row and Nine Inch Nails appear on the same bill at London's Wembley Stadium.
1991: Tesla release their 3rd studio album, 'Psychotic Supper.' The album reached #13 on the Billboard chart.
1992: Nirvana headlines the Reading festival in England. It ended up being the band's last UK concert. Kurt Cobain took to the stage in a wheelchair pushed by music journalist Everett True, parodying speculations about his mental health.
1993: Billy Joel became the first musical guest to perform on CBS’ The Late Show with David Letterman after Letterman’s switch from NBC to CBS.
1994: Oasis performed a selection of new songs at London's Virgin Mega store Marble Arch. The Lemonheads Evan Dando joined the band for a new song called 'Whatever.'
1995: James Taylor and ex-wife Carly Simon perform together for a benefit concert at Martha's Vineyard for an audience of over 10,000. It was the first time they appeared live on the same stage since 1979. The former couple played their own solo sets before combining their efforts in raising money for the local agricultural society.
1995: Sterling Morrison (guitarist for The Velvet Underground) dies of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in Poughkeepsie, New York, two days after his 53rd birthday. The guitarist left the group in August 1971 and re-joined in 1992 for a European tour. During the 80’s he became a tugboat captain in Houston.
1996: Liam Gallagher flies to America to rejoin his Oasis bandmates on the '(What's the Story) Morning Glory?' tour. The band played the first four shows with brother Noel taking vocal duties after the capricious singer watched their MTV Unplugged performance from the wings, claiming to be suffering from a throat infection.
1999: Megadeth's 'Risk' debuts at #16 on the Billboard charts, selling 74,000 copies in its first week.
1999: The U.S. Postal Service unveils the Yellow Submarine stamp (to commemorate Beatles International Week).
2004: Dio release their 10th and final studio album, 'Master of the Moon.'
2005: Nuclear Assault released their 6th album, 'Third World Genocide.' It was their first album since 'Something Wicked,' which was released in 1993.
2005: Queens Of The Stone Age cancel their Stuttgart, Germany, show because frontman Josh Homme is suffering from exhaustion. "He has been performing every night on this tour despite his physical condition and it finally caught up with him," says a note on the group's web site. The singer-guitarist had undergone a knee operation shortly before the trek.
2006: The New York Supreme Court rules The Beatles may sue EMI and Capitol Records over $20 million in lost earnings. The suit which stems from a '79 court case, claims the record labels secretly sold Beatles albums that they had incorrectly classified as destroyed or damaged.
2008: 3 Doors Down and Kid Rock appear on the Muscular Dystrophy Association's 43rd annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.
2008: Saving Abel sings the national anthem prior to NASCAR's Camping World 300 race in Fontana, CA.
2011: Alleging that Elvis Presley "was unjustly exploited during his lifetime by his record company," his estate announced a multimillion dollar lawsuit against Arista Music, formerly RCA Records, demanding proper payment over new media income such as ringtones, downloads and entertainment apps.
2011: The Red Hot Chili Peppers issue their first album in five years, 'I'm With You.' The group's 10th album is their first with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, who replaced longtime Chili Pepper John Frusciante.
2011: The Counting Crows third live album, 'August And Everything After: Live At Town Hall' is released.
2011: Puddle Of Mudd release a covers album entitled 're:(disc)overed.' It contains versions of songs by the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young and Elton John.
2012: AC/DC's frontman launches his own BBC Radio 2 show, 'Brian Johnson's Rockers and Rollers.' The six week show covers two of Johnson's passions--music and cars.
2012: Journey performs at a fundraising concert for Mitt Romney at the Republican convention in Tampa Bay. The group is paid $500,000 for a 90-minute set. "It's not an endorsement of any candidate and/or party, it's just another private show," says a Journey spokesperson. Kid Rock and 3 Doors Down also entertain at the convention.
2013: Iron Maiden tops Billboard's Hot Tours chart. The Maiden England tour which began in 2012 and rolled through the summer of 2013 earns the band the top spot (again).
2013: Cheap Trick launch a countersuit against former drummer Bun E. Carlos after he initiated court action the previous month. In his suit, Carlos claimed he reached a deal with the other members that meant he'd no longer tour with them, but he'd remain part of the band business. The band asks for a judgment that Carlos was removed as a director of Cheap Trick Unlimited Inc. in a valid manner.
2013: Aerosmith headline Harley-Davidson's 110th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee over Labor Day weekend. Kid Rock performs the following day.
2013: A signed copy of John Lennon’s whimsical 1964 book ‘In His Own Write’ sold for more than $5,600 after a flurry of 47 bids on eBay. Filled with cheeky quips and kaleidoscopic imagery, the author note was titled ‘About the Awful’ — Lennon’s ‘In His Own Write’ featured short stories, poems and drawings.
2014: Geoff Tate gives his last show under the Queensryche name at the Tailgaters Sports Bar & Grill in Bolingbrook, IL. Following a long-running dispute with his former bandmates, Tate subsequently performs under the 'Operation: Mindcrime' banner.
2015: Disturbed's 'Immortalized,' their first studio album in five years, is the group's 5th consecutive #1 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 98,000. That's less than half of their previous chart toppers.
2015: Sweden's Ghost secure their first Top 10 album on the Billboard 200 when 'Meliora' goes to #8 on sales of 29,000 copies.
2015: Metallica play the final night of the Leeds Festival, their first performance at the event in seven years.
2016: The 2017 edition of Guinness World Records said that Ringo Starr's copy of The Beatles' White Album was officially the most expensive LP ever sold at auction. Guinness confirmed that a December 2015 sale at Julien's Auction House set a new high for album prices when the first-edition copy with the catalog number 0000001, which was kept in a vault in perfect condition by Starr for more than 35 years, sold for $790,000.
2016: The Go-Go's complete their final tour, playing their last show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.

August 31
1955: A London judge fined Sidney Turner three pounds, ten shillings for "creating an abominable noise" after Turner threatened his neighbors by saying, "I will drive you mad." Turner played Bill Haley And His Comets' 'Shake Rattle & Roll' as loud as possible from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
1957: Elvis Presley performs at the Empire Stadium in Vancouver, Canada. It only the third time ever Presley had performed outside of the U.S. and it would be the last. 26,000 fans attended the show with tickets costing $1.50, $2.50 and $3.50.
1958: Ricky Nelson kicks off his musical concert career by appearing at Steel Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he sets an all time attendance record for the venue by performing in front of 44,221 people, spread out over two days. His fee for the gig was $10,000 and his supporting acts were comedian Henny Youngman and The Four Preps.
1983: The Beach Boys performed as part of the 'Show of Shows Spectacular' at Los Angeles Sports Arena. Marvin Gaye, Jan & Dean, The Righteous Brothers, Little Eva and more are also on the bill.
1963: The Angels become the first white girl group to have a U.S. #1 hit when 'My Boyfriend's Back' topped the Billboard Hot 100.
1963: The Ronettes first entered the U.S. singles chart with 'Be My Baby' the girl group's only top 10 hit. Lead singer, Veronica Bennett who became Ronnie Spector, took producer and ex-husband Phil Spector to court in the late 1990s for unpaid royalties.
1965: The Rolling Stones announce that Allen Klein, who they met three days ago, will co-manage the group along with Andrew Long Oldham. At the same time, they sign a five year recording deal with Decca Records.
1965: During a North American tour The Beatles played two shows at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California to a total of 28,700 fans.
1966: Recorded virtually live in the studio The Doors finish work on their self-titled debut album. It was released the following January.
1967: Four days after the death of Brian Epstein, The Beatles announced that they would be handling their own managerial affairs. But soon control of the group's business interests devolves into a struggle between Allen Klein (representing John, George & Ringo) and Lee and John Eastman (representing Paul).
1968: 18-year-old Danny Kirwan joined Fleetwood Mac as their third guitarist. He was later fired after recording 1972’s 'Bare Trees.'
1968: Howlin’ Wolf performed at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit, Michigan.
1968: Cream's 'Fresh Cream' enters the Billboard LP chart where it would climb to #39. It faired much better in the UK, reaching #6. They also peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Sunshine of Your Love' which was their first top ten single in the U.S.
1968: Decca Records releases what has been called The Rolling Stones most political song, 'Street Fighting Man.' It was written after Mick Jagger attended a March 1968 anti-war rally at London's U.S. embassy, during which mounted police attempted to control a crowd of 25,000. The single proved to be very popular, but was kept out of the US Top 40 (reaching #48) because many radio stations refused to play it based on what were perceived as subversive lyrics.
1968: The Move, The Pretty Things, The Crazy World Of Aurthur Brown, Orange Bicycle, Jefferson Airplane, Fairport Convention and Tyrannosaurus Rex all appeared at the first Isle Of Wight Festival held over two days.
1968: Vanilla Fudge peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their cover of 'You Keep Me Hangin’ On' which was their only top ten single in the U.S.
1969: Bob Dylan makes his first paid appearance since his motorcycle accident three years earlier at England's Isle of Wight Pop Festival. He's backed by The Band and pockets £38,000 for the one hour show.
1969: Led Zeppelin performed at the Texas International Pop Festival in Lewisville. Also on the bill, B.B. King, The Incredible String Band, Sam & Dave and Janis Joplin.
1969: Bob Seger files for divorce from his wife, Sandy, after just ten months of marriage.
1970: Led Zeppelin played before 6,000 fans at the Milwaukee Arena, in a concert rescheduled from August 27th. One reviewer wrote, “The groups started slow, finished big, and the crowd unwound with them. By the end of the show the area in front of the stage was filled with hundreds of people who finally won out over the security guards.”
1970: Neil Young's 3rs studio album, 'After the Gold Rush' is released. It reached #8 on the Billboard 200 Top LP's chart, and features two Billboard Hot 100 singles - 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' (#33), and 'When You Dance I Can Really Love' (#93).
1970: The Beach Boys 16th studio album, 'Sunflower' is released. It peaked at #151 on the Billboard Top 200 album chart during a four week stay, becoming the lowest charting Beach Boys album until 1978's 'M.I.U.' The album's critical reputation has grown since its original appearance. In 2003, the album was ranked number 380 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
1971: A security guard was stabbed to death during a Who concert in Forest Hills, New York.
1971: The Rolling Stones, plus the father of Brian Jones, filed a high court writ against former managers Andrew Loog Oldham and Eric Easton. They claimed the duo made a secret deal with Decca Records in 1963 to deprive the group of royalties.
1971: Ten Years After 'I'd Love To Change The World' b/w 'Let The Sky Fall' 45 single is released.
1972: David Bowie appeared at Starkers Royal Ballrooms in Boscombe, Australia.
1973: Paul McCartney receives a Gold record for 'Live and Let Die.'
1973: The Rolling Stones released their 11th British and 13th American studio album, 'Goat’s Head Soup.' It was not remembered as one of their classics, but on the back of the hit single 'Angie,' it went to #1. 'Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker),' also reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.
1973: The Allman Brothers played Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ.
1973: Uriah Heep, ZZ Top and Earth, Wind & Fire played the Onodoga County War Memorial Auditorium in Syracuse, New York.
1974: Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Santana, The Band, and Jessie Colin Young performed at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio as part of the then annual World Series of Rock.
1974: In a U.S. federal court, John Lennon testifies that he believes the Nixon administration tried to have him deported because of his involvement with the anti-war demonstrations at the 1972 Republican convention in Miami. He also suspected his phones were tapped and that he was under surveillance by government agents.
1974: Traffic made their last live performance at the annual UK Reading Festival. Other acts performing included Procol Harum, Focus, Alex Harvey, 10cc and Steve Harley.
1975: Rod Stewart and the Faces, Loggins & Messina, Fleetwood Mac and Lynyrd Skynyrd all appeared at Balboa Stadium in San Diego, California.
1976: George Harrison is found guilty of subconscious plagiarism of the song 'He's So Fine' by The Chifons in writing his hit, 'My Sweet Lord.' He would eventually pay the copyright holder, Bright Tunes, $587,000 in damages.
1977: Yes played at Dane County Memorial Coliseum in Madison, Wisconsin.
1980: Pat Benatar's 'Crimes Of Passion' hits the charts. The album contains her signature song 'Hit Me With Your Best Shot.'
1980: Rush entered Phase One Studios in Toronto to begin work on 'Moving Pictures' which was released the following February.
1981: The Grateful Dead performed at the Aladdin Hotel Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada.
1984: 'Purple Rain,' the movie-starring Prince opened at cinemas across the UK with special late night previews.
1984: Canada’s answer to MTV, Much Music airs its first video, 'The Enemy Within' by Rush.
1985: The Dire Straits album 'Brothers In Arms' started a nine-week run at #1 on the US album charts. The album also topped the charts in 25 other countries and went on to sell over 20 million worldwide.
1985: Twenty years after it originally topped the UK chart for Sonny And Cher, 'I Got You Babe' was a number one hit all over again for UB40 and Chrissie Hynde.
1985: The Bryan Adams song 'Summer Of '69' peaks at #5. It seems to reminisce about younger, carefree days in a Rock group and the inevitable changes that come with growing older but actually is about a certain sexual position.
1985: Scorpions, Ratt, Metallica, Y&T, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force and Victory rocked Oakland Coliseum for Bill Graham's annual Day On The Green summer concert.
1985: Guns N'Roses played The Roxy Theater in Hollywood.
1985: The serial killer Richard Ramirez is captured in Los Angeles and later convicted for 13 murders. At one of the crime scenes, he left behind an AC/DC hat. The media dubbed him the 'Night Stalker,' and speculated that the band's song 'Night Prowler' compelled him to kill, an assertion that is never substantiated, but unfairly links the killer to AC/DC, which is horrified by the association.
1986: Bob Geldof married TV personality Paula Yates in Las Vegas with Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon as the best man. They later divorce in 1996 when Yates leaves Geldof for INXS frontman Michael Hutchence. Yates died of a drug overdose on September 17, 2000.
1986: Guns N' Roses performed at The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles.
1987: Aerosmith release their 9th studio album, 'Permanent Vacation.'
1988: Aerosmith and Guns N' Roses played Pittsburgh Civic Arena.
1988: Julianne Phillips files for divorce from Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger and wife Annette file as well.
1989: The Rolling Stones kicked off their 'Steel Wheels' tour at Philadelphia’s JFK Stadium. Living Colour is the opening act. When the tour finished one year later, it became the most financially successful tour in history up to that point.
1990: At a memorial service for guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and Stevie Wonder sing 'Amazing Grace.'
1991: The Scorpions peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with 'Wind of Change' which was their only top 10 single in the U.S.
1991: 'Metallica,' also known as the 'Black Album' entered the Billboard 200 Album Chart at #1 for the first of four weeks on top of the chart. The album cost $1 million to record, was remixed three times, three members of Metallica were divorced after the album was completed & would be Metallica’s commercial breakthrough, selling over 15 million copies in the U.S.
1991: Izzy Stradlin plays his last gig with Guns N' Roses at London’s Wembley Stadium.
1992: Prince extends his contract with Warner Bros. in a deal reported as being worth $100 million, but worth far less in reality.
1997: Oasis went to #1 on the UK album chart with their third album 'Be Here Now.' The album had sold over a million copies on the first day of release.
1998: On the verge of launching DavidBowie.com, Bowie hosted several online concerts by performers that included Ani DiFranco and The Jesus & Mary Chain.
1999: Megadeth release their 8th studio album, 'Risk.' The album debuted at #16 on the Billboard chart. It was also their last album with guitarist Marty Friedman.
2003: Elton John, Tim McGraw and Kid Rock played the 100th birthday celebration of Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee.
2003, Elton John went to #1 on the UK singles chart with 'Are You Ready For Love.' The song was recorded in 1977 and released in 1979, when it reached #42. It was used by Sky TV for their Premiership football ads.
2003: Poison vowed to carry on with their tour after a fire in a transport truck destroyed their instruments and stage equipment.'
2004: Green Day release their s 'American Idiot.' The song peaks at #61 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming the group's first entry on that chart. The song also tops Modern Rock Tracks chart.
2004: Danzig release their 8th studio album, 'Circle of Snakes.'
2004: Asia release their 10th studio album, 'Silent Nation.'
2004: Papa Roach release their third major-label effort, 'Getting Away With Murder.'
2004: UK medical magazine Thorax issues a warning to music fans saying that listening to loud music can give you a collapsed lung. It is thought the intense pulses of low-frequency, high-energy sound can cause the lung to rupture because air and tissue respond differently to sound. Four cases were diagnosed – three incidents occurred after victims stood next to concert loudspeakers, and one incident occurred when a victim’s lung collapsed while using his 1,000-watt bass box in his car.
2004: The A&E TV series Dog The Bounty Hunter, premieres with Ozzy Osbourne performing the show's theme song. The reality show profiles bounty hunter Duane Chapman (a.k.a. 'Dog') as he tracks down fugitives who skipped trial dates or bail.
2005: U2 and Bon Jovi are honored at the World Music Awards in Hollywood. U2 is the World's Best-Selling Rock Act while Bon Jovi receives a Diamond Award for 100 million career album sales.
2005: Disturbed drummer Mike Wengren asks his girlfriend to marry him during the band's show in Milwaukee. She accepts. The couple met in that fair city.
2005: Blondie, Public Enemy and Institute, with former Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, perform at a rally in New York to support a campaign to save CBGBs. "It's such a legacy, it's insane," Rossdale says of legendary Punk club. CBGBs landlord says the lease has expired and will not be renewed.
2005: The Raconteurs perform at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. The quartet provides the soundtrack for the VMAs live.
2007: The Bon Jovi song 'I Love This Town,' from 'Lost Highway,' is featured in a promo for the TBS coverage of the Major League Baseball playoffs. The full two-and-a-half-minute ad is screened in cinemas and ballparks.
2007: Rob Zombie's remake of the '78 horror classic Halloween is in theaters.
2007: Alice In Chains embark on a month-long acoustic tour in Milwaukee.
2007: Daughtry's Las Vegas concert is streamed in its entirety on AOL Music. The show was recorded eight days earlier.
2007: Hilly Kristal, founder of the New York punk club CBGB died from complications arising from lung cancer at the age of 75. Kristal was credited with discovering Patti Smith and The Ramones and his club became a breeding ground for punk rock. The New York City venue, whose full title CBGB OMFUG stood for 'country, bluegrass, blues and other music for uplifting gourmandisers', was originally launched to showcase country music.
2008: Bruce Springsteen performs at Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration in Milwaukee. The show culminates with a cover of Steppenwolf's 'Born To Be Wild.'
2009: 'She Loves You' is recognized as the best-selling Beatles single of all-time in the U.K official Chart Company, which compiles the weekly list of the Top 40 songs in England tallied a Top-10 of The Beatles best-selling singles. 'She Loves You,' released in '63, was the band's second #1 hit (following 'From Me To You').'
2009: The Black Crowes release their 8th studio album, 'Before the Frost...Until the Freeze.'
2010: Papa Roach release their first live album, 'Time for Annihilation.' It features nine live tracks along with five new studio tracks.
2010: Disturbed release their fifth album, 'Asylum.'
2010: Heart's first album in six years, 'Red Velvet Car,' is released. The set includes a reworking of the Lovemonger's 'Sand.'
2010: Rhythm magazine readers name Slipknot's Joey Jordison the top drummer of the last 25 years. Over 100,000 ballots are cast. Jordison says the honor has him "at a loss for words."
2010: Elton John and Leon Russell issued the first single from their upcoming collaborative album, 'The Union.' Titled 'If It Wasn't For Bad,' the song features vocals from both artists as well as Sir Elton on piano and guest appearances by Brian Wilson and Neil Young on vocal harmonies and Booker T on the Hammond B-3. The single would later be nominated for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards.
2011: Canadian broadcasters reinstate Dire Straits 1985 hit, 'Money For Nothing.' The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) pulled the song from national playlists in January of 2011, after a single listener complained about the use of the word 'faggot' on Newfoundland radio station. "It made us look silly in the eyes of the broadcast community around the world," says writer/broadcaster Alan Cross.
2011: Linkin Park play a small venue benefit show in L.A. with proceeds going to Save the Children's Japan earthquake and tsunami relief effort. In addition, Linkin Park and fundraising site Give2gether.com conduct a fan challenge--the first 500 fans to raise $500 or more receive two tickets to the concert.
2012: Eddie Van Halen is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery on his digestive system to correct a severe bout of diverticulitis.
2014: Survivor frontman Jimi Jamison dies at his home in Memphis at age 63. The cause of death is listed as hemorrhagic brain stroke, with "acute methamphetamine intoxication contributing." He joined the band in 1983 after they had released their hit 'Eye of the Tiger' and went on to contribute vocals on songs such as 'High on You,' 'I Can`t Hold Back' and 'The Moment of Truth' from 'The Karate Kid.' He also sang and co-wrote 'I'm Always Here' the theme tune for hit TV series 'Baywatch.'
2014: The Raskins, who have paid $1 million to join Mötley Crüe on tour, are accosted by members of the headliner's road crew who come on stage and spray them with urine during their set at the Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, according to a lawsuit filed by the band.
2015: Amid reports of a reconciliation between long feuding former Guns N' Roses bandmates, Slash and Axl Rose, Australian promoter AJ Maddah provides some reality into the speculation regarding a reunion of the original GN'R lineup by stating, "I think it'll take a hundred lawyers six months just to get the five of them into a rehearsal room together." Close, but it did happen.
2016: News reports began to surface that said Mick Jagger had agreed to pay his pregnant girlfriend, Melanie Hamrick, an estimated $15,000 a month until their child turns 18. The deal, which was worth about $3.3 million, also included a home in New York City. In 1999 Jagger reached a similar agreement with Brazilian companion Luciana Gimenez.
2016: Slipknot’s fifth studio album, '.5: The Gray Chapter,' is officially certified gold by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) for sales of more than 500,000 copies.
2017: Foo Fighters earn platinum awards for their albums 'Wasting Light' and 'Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace.' The single 'Learn to Fly' also goes platinum while 'The Pretender,' 'Everlong' and 'Best Of You' are double platinum.
2018: Alkaline Trio release their first album in five years, 'Is This Thing Cursed?' Featuring the single 'Blackbird,' it’s also their first effort since frontman Matt Skiba joined Blink-182.
2018: Alice Cooper release his live album, 'A Paranormal Evening At The Olympia Paris.'
2018: A funeral service for Aretha Franklin was held at Detroit's Greater Grace Temple. Several of the nation's top recording artists performed, including Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Ronald Isley, Jennifer Hudson, Faith Hill, Fantasia and Yolanda Adams.